AHSOKA Season 2 Star Rory McCann Talks About Playing Baylan Skoll: "I Think It's the Right Decision" — GeekTyrant
Game of Thrones actor Rory McCann is officially stepped into the role of Baylan Skoll for Ahsoka Season 2, a character originally portrayed by the late Ray Stevenson, whose performance left a powerful impression on fans.
Speaking for the first time about taking on the role, McCann opened up with a mix of humility, excitement, and reverence for what came before. McCann told ComicBook:
"I think it's the right decision to carry on his storyline, not just cut it off. We've done it before with other things. I hope the fans embrace it and I'll do my best.
'I'm just starting now, so I'm just trying to be in the right zone for doing it. It's pretty bloody exciting. I mean, I remember being a kid with my dad, going to the first one probably in the late '70s and '80s. Now I'm training with a lightsaber at night, so it's pretty exciting."
McCann's casting was confirmed at Star Wars Celebration 2025, and it feels like a natural move when you consider his previous roles playing gritty, intense, and quietly complex characters. His towering screen presence and gravitas could bring something unique to Baylan, while still honoring what Stevenson began.
Series creator Dave Filoni also spoke about the challenge of continuing Baylan's arc after Stevenson's passing, saying it wasn't a decision he made lightly.
'It was a challenge for me to even consider continuing for a while. But I have a great support group with Jon [Favreau] and Rosario [Dawson]. And I found a way, and I had Ray in my head.
'And [I'm] grateful for all those conversations with him about Baylan, so I understood what to do. It just took a while to get there. But I'm very confident now that Ray would be happy with the direction of the character that we've chosen.'
Stevenson gave a standout performance in Ahsoka Season 1, crafting a character who was mysterious, powerful, and on the verge of something big. After he passed away, there was a heavy question mark hanging over the future of the show. But now, with McCann wielding the orange-bladed saber, the story moves forward.
Star Wars Celebration also teased a few other big reveals: Hayden Christensen is officially returning as Anakin Skywalker in season 2, and Admiral Ackbar will be going toe-to-toe with Grand Admiral Thrawn. Footage shown behind closed doors offered a concept-art sizzle reel paired with voice-over that hinted at massive battles and a galaxy-spanning conflict.
There's no official release date for Ahsoka Season 2 yet, but between Christensen's return, Thrawn's rising threat, and Rory McCann training with a lightsaber under the stars, the Force feels strong with this one.
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