Original Asajj Ventress actress discusses a possible return

Most Star Wars fans probably know Asajj Ventress from the acclaimed The Clone Wars television series that made its debut in 2008. Asajj was voiced by Nika Futterman in The Clone Wars movie and in each subsequent episode in which the character appeared in the series.

But Asajj was actually introduced to audiences five years earlier in the fan-favorite Star Wars: Clone Wars animated series that was run by Genndy Tartakovsky. And that Asajj was voiced by someone completely different.

Grey Griffin, who has gained fame in dozens of beloved voice roles, first voiced Asajj Ventress during Tartakovsky’s animated run.

Recently, Griffin sat down with ComicBookMovie.com to discuss the possibility of reprising her role as Ventress. While there are no current plans for that to happen, she’s more than happy to do so if Disney comes calling.

“I would adore that,” Griffin said of the chance of voicing Asajj again. “I am happy with the Asajj I got to play, though, just because I’m such a fan of Genndy Tartakovsky. He’s such a genius and allowed me to be part of so many of his wonderful creations, including something that’s coming up. I can’t say what it is yet, but he’s got a project in the works I’ve got a nice part in. I’m just glad he still continues to believe in me.”

Tartakovsky’s Star Wars: Clone Wars ran for 25 episodes and featured James Arnold Taylor as Obi-Wan Kenobi and Tom Kane as Yoda — both of which would go on to voice the same characters in the later Clone Wars show.

Though that show is now no longer considered canon, it has been added to the Star Wars library on Disney+ for fans to revisit and enjoy. Fans can hear Griffin’s original take on Asajj in those episodes as well.

Fans of The Clone Wars will know that Asajj’s story never truly got closure on screen, however. Her arc was written out and supposed to be part of the original seventh and eighth seasons of the show before Disney acquired Star Wars from George Lucas back in 2012. That unaired arc was turned into the book Dark Disciple, and it features Asajj partnering with Jedi Knight Quinlan Vos to track down Count Dooku.

Will Asajj Ventress return?

It remains to be seen if that story ever unfolds on screen, but Griffin herself hasn’t stepped away completely from Star Wars since voicing Ventress over 15 years ago.

“I am pleased with my Asajj, but I also get to be part of the Star Wars world all the time,” she stated. “I do Maz Kanata and I play all sorts of different things in that universe and always have a toe dipped into it. I’m in The Bad Batch as a few different little things, but they always throw me a bone here or there for which I’m grateful.

“My Asajj was in my favorite Star Wars property ever, so I’m glad about that. I’m open to more!”

In The Bad Batch, Griffin is credited as voicing CG-67, a fruit vendor, and a citizen. She voiced Maz Kanata in the LEGO Star Wars Holiday Special and in the video game Battlefront II, voiced Walla Actor in the video game Star Wars: Squadrons, and is credited as voicing Chava, Darja, and Oora in Star Wars Rebels. She got to reprise her role as Asajj Ventress in the video game Star Wars: The Force Unleashed in 2008. She’s also played several roles in various other Lego Star Wars properties and in the Star Wars: The Old Republic video game.

Grey Griffin is also known as the voice of Azula in Avatar: The Last Airbender, Vicky in The Fairly OddParents, Mandy in The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy, and Daphne in several Scooby-Doo movies and video games since 2000.

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