Rory McCann Unveiled as Baylan Skoll in Ahsoka at Star Wars Celebration

Star Wars Celebration has given fans an exciting first glimpse at Rory McCann stepping into the role of Baylan Skoll for Season 2 of Ahsoka. This follows the untimely passing of Ray Stevenson, who originally portrayed the character. While we haven't seen McCann in action yet, the Ahsoka panel at Star Wars Celebration provided a first-look image, which you can see below.

Ray Stevenson, known for his roles in Thor, RRR, Punisher: War Zone, Rome, and more, tragically passed away from a brief illness just three months before the premiere of Ahsoka. Many fans and critics alike felt that Stevenson's portrayal of Baylan was a standout element of the series.

Ahsoka series creator Dave Filoni expressed that losing Ray was one of the most significant challenges faced during the development of Season 2, emphasizing that Stevenson was "the most beautiful person on screen and off."

During the panel, Filoni and the team also shared more about what fans can anticipate in Season 2. This includes the return of Hayden Christensen as Anakin Skywalker, alongside characters like Admiral Ackbar, Zeb, Chopper, and more.

In our review of Ahsoka's first season, we noted that the series "struggles in its early episodes as it works to bring viewers up to speed on characters and concepts introduced in Dave Filoni’s animated Star Wars shows. However, once the actors and cosmic plots are given the space to shine, Ahsoka finds a wonderful mix of rich lore, humor, and epic battles that make it feel like classic Star Wars while also paving the way for something new."

For more insights, check out where Ahsoka ranks on our list of the best Star Wars Disney+ live-action TV shows, and don't miss our detailed explainer of the Season 1 finale of Ahsoka.