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

Star Wars Celebration has unveiled our first glimpse of Rory McCann stepping into the role of Baylan Skoll for Season 2 of *Ahsoka*. This follows the unfortunate passing of Ray Stevenson, who originally portrayed the character. While we're yet to see McCann in action, the Ahsoka panel at Star Wars Celebration provided a first-look image, which you can view 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 *Ahsoka*'s premiere. Many fans and critics alike felt that Stevenson's portrayal of Baylan was a standout in 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 Stevenson's remarkable presence both on and off the screen. Filoni and the team also shared some exciting details about what fans can anticipate in the upcoming season, including 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 blend of rich lore, humor, and epic battles that evoke the essence of classic Star Wars while also paving the way for something fresh and new."

For more insights, take a look at where *Ahsoka* stands on our list of the best Star Wars Disney+ live-action TV shows, and don't miss our detailed explainer on the ending of Season 1 of *Ahsoka*.