Late 'Star Wars' Actor Ray Stevenson To Be Replaced By 'Game of Thrones' Alum In 'Ahsoka' After May 2023 Death

Fans loved Ray Stevenson and his role as Baylan Skoll in the "Star Wars" series "Ahsoka," which is why Lucasfilm has made the difficult decision to replace the actor ahead of season 2.

After starring in numerous TV shows and movies, the actor passed away in May 2023 after a brief illness.

In May 2023, Ray Stevenson passed away from a brief illness at only 58 years old.

The "Vikings" star previously voiced the “Star Wars” character Gar Saxon in the animated series “Star Wars Rebels” and reprised his role in “The Clone Wars.”

He also played Volstagg in Marvel’s “Thor” films and Blackbeard in the Starz “Black Sails” pirate series.

He passed away in May 2023, only a few months shy of the “Ahsoka” Disney+ premiere in August 2023.

Only one month before his death, the “RRR” actor spoke to Collider at Star Wars Celebration, which was held in London in April 2023. When he was asked which episodes from one through eight he was most excited for fans to see, he jokingly responded, “One through eight.”

“You cannot. It’s like separating a family and saying which child is your favorite child,” he joked. “It’s a whole journey.” When asked about the scripts that “Ahsoka” creator Dave Filoni created, Stevenson admitted that he wasn’t expecting the “vision and complexity” that was being given to the series.

Stevenson teased that there is a “scale” to “Ahsoka,” adding, “I remember walking on set like, ‘Who designed this?’” The actor, who also appeared in the “Divergent” series, also praised the costume design, the meticulous construction, and the design of the set, saying that the cast and crew all brought their “A game” to the series.

Months before its release, Stevenson said that the show would bring “a lot of cliffhangers, surprises, journeys, and unexpected events and he [Dave Filoni] just kept it going.” Although he admitted it was “exhausting” filming some of the physical elements of the role, he still felt that it was a “delight” to be part of the franchise.

“They’re character-driven fights,” he explained as he praised the stunt coordinators working on the series. He said that the “stakes are high” and that these scenes would “literally” keep fans on the edge of their seats.

Although he admitted that he didn’t know what to expect from a “Star Wars” show, he was delighted to see showrunner Dave Filoni and the wardrobe team incorporating his feedback after he tried on his costume. He noted that their attention to detail was “breathtaking.”

He praised both Filoni and longtime collaborator Jon Favreau for their unique ability to bring out the best of their actors, calling called their “humility of greatness” really “empowering and wonderful and humbling.”

When asked about his passion for the show, Stevenson went on to say that “there is a genuine love there and you feel that now resonated as a tsunami of love from the fans… that’s from the cast and crew as well. We just want to give it to an audience who deserves it and give them everything and they facilitate just bring your best to work.”

In January 2024, The Insneider first reported the news that Scottish actor Rory McCann, who is best known for playing The Hound on HBO’s widely popular “Game of Thrones” series, would replace the late actor in the role of Baylan Skoll in the Disney+ series “Ahsoka.”

After leaving “Game of Thrones,” fans recently spotted McCann in “Gladiator II,” which was released in late 2024. He also starred in “Jumanji: The Next Level,” “Hot Fuzz,” “xXx: Return of Xander Cage,” and the recent “Knuckles” show, which is currently available to stream on Paramount+.

The “Ahsoka” Disney+ series stars Rosario Dawson as the titular character Ahsoka Tano, who teams up with her former apprentice, Sabine Wren (Natasha Liu Bordizzo), in order to stop the Empire. In their way are Baylan Skoll and his apprentice, Shin Hati, who is played by Ivanna Sakhno.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, it is unclear when season 2 of “Ahsoka” will begin filming or who will be directing. Dave Filoni will return as showrunner.