Movies

Rory McCann Reveals His Take on Baylan Skoll After Ray Stevenson’s Tragic Passing

BBG News

Baylan Skoll, a captivating character from the first season, was brought to life predominantly by Ray Stevenson’s powerful acting. Unfortunately, Stevenson passed away in May 2023, leading to a recast. Now, Rory McCann, known for his role in Game of Thrones as The Hound, will step into the role. Lately, McCann has expressed thoughts on the duty he feels in replacing Stevenson.

In the interview, he expressed his thoughts on continuing Baylan Skoll’s story arc, stating that it was better to keep it going rather than ending it abruptly. “I’ve been part of similar scenarios before,” he added, expressing hope that fans would accept this decision and he would do his best. He also shared that he is only just beginning the role, so he is focusing on getting into the right mindset for playing it. He expressed his excitement about the opportunity, recalling his childhood memories of watching the first films with his father in the 70s and 80s, and now finding himself training with a lightsaber at night. It’s quite thrilling, he said.

Baylan Skoll previously served as both a Jedi Knight and a military leader for the Republic. He endured Palpatine’s infamous purge, during which his clone comrades were ordered to annihilate the Jedi Order. In time, Skoll was acquainted with and befriended someone significant. Upon discovering this person had transformed into Darth Vader, Skoll felt a deep revulsion. The complexity of Skoll’s moral compass is reflected in the orange-red lightsabers he and his apprentice Shin Hati use on the series Ahsoka. Skoll demonstrated exceptional combat skills, even facing off against the renowned prodigy who was once trained by Anakin.

Rory McCann Is Prepared for Ahsoka

For approximately ten years, Rory McCann portrayed The Hound in HBO’s hit show. Initially, his character was a grim and scarred bodyguard for King Joffrey (Jack Gleeson), but he evolved into Arya Stark’s (Maisie Williams) guardian and played a crucial role as the series progressed. In the show, McCann demonstrated exceptional skills in stage combat, particularly with swords, a talent that has proved beneficial for his lightsaber training.

He mentioned that “Thrones” has been quite helpful in this regard. The techniques and maneuvers are similar, as is the blocking, he added. However, “Lightsabers” don’t have the same seductive sound, he exclaimed. Interestingly, “Lightsabers” are lighter, but for the stunt swords in “Thrones”, you must pretend they’re three times heavier than they actually are. It’s all part of the act, really – it’s quite thrilling.

The specific launch date for the second season of Ahsoka hasn’t been announced yet, though there are rumors suggesting that it could come out after May 22, 2026.

Read More

2025-05-29 22:35

Previous post Cardi B dealt double blow after Stefon Diggs pictured flirting as ex Offset demands spousal support while divorce war rages on
Next post Figment 2: Creed Valley lets you explore a rhythmic human mind, now out on iOS