30 iconic Star Wars roles that almost went to different actors

Conclusion

Throughout the history of Star Wars, there have been thousands of actors, both unknowns and major celebrities, who have been considered for roles in the franchise. Some actors are lucky enough to be directly approached for their roles — like Pedro Pascal in The Mandalorian — while others have lucked out due to scheduling conflicts, role changes, or alternate decisions. Like with any job, roles are left open until the director finds the perfect candidate for the character.

Sometimes that means auditioning 1,500 actors in the same age and demographic, while other times that means looking for specific types of performances, regardless of the actors’ appearances.

When reflecting on the roles that “almost” went to a different actor, it’s important to remember that just because there’s concept art for a specific actor in a role, that doesn’t necessarily mean they were the top pick for the character. Oftentimes, concept artists will be given several different names and allowed to create whatever ideas they have for the film to spark the other creatives around them. But that doesn’t mean you can’t envision your own version of Star Wars where your favorite actor or actress landed a key role in the universe.

Who is your favorite actor who was “almost” in a Star Wars film? Is there anyone on this list that you would want to see in a future Star Wars project? Let us know in the comments!