Katee Sackhoff Talks Bo-Katan’s Redemption – The Hollywood Reporter

[This story contains spoilers for The Mandalorian “Chapter 19: The Convert.”]

The Mandalorian star Katee Sackhoff has pulled off the inconceivable. 

Sackhoff is aware of full properly how uncommon it’s for a voice function to develop into a live-action function, however she made the leap as of Mandalorian season two, having already voiced Mandalorian warrior Bo-Katan Kryze periodically on Star Wars animated collection The Clone Wars and Rebels since 2012. In fact, the Oregon native can also be self-aware sufficient to know that her present physique of live-action work on beloved collection like Battlestar Galactica and Longmire made the leap extra viable.

“I consider that I, for the majority of my profession, haven’t been out making interval rom-coms. To a sure extent, I’ve performed characters which can be similar to Bo-Katan, so I do perceive how the transition was simpler to think about,” Sackhoff tells The Hollywood Reporter.

In the latest episode of The Mandalorian, “Chapter 19: The Convert,” directed by Lee Isaac Chung, and written by Noah Kloor and Jon Favreau, Bo-Katan discovered herself redeemed by Din Djarin’s (Pedro Pascal) Mandalorian cult, The Youngsters of the Watch. Surprisingly, Sackhoff has an optimistic view of the occasion regardless of beforehand being at odds with this group of zealots.

“The concept these folks settle for her with open arms is intriguing to her. I additionally don’t know if Bo has ever felt so readily accepted by anybody, and in her thoughts, she’s most likely considering that this would possibly work,” Sackhoff says.

At the start of the episode, Bo-Katan purposefully stored her playing cards near her armored vest relating to her mythosaur sighting within the waters of Mandalore, and Sackhoff believes that she’s simply erring on the aspect of warning.

“I feel she’s involved that she’s going to sound loopy. She actually noticed the image of her people who she thought was a metaphor. And I don’t assume that she’s able to danger that but for an individual [Din Djarin] that she doesn’t actually know,” Sackhoff explains.

Under, throughout a current dialog with THR, Sackhoff additionally shares a heartwarming story involving her younger youngster and Grogu.

So once you go to conventions now, what’s the ratio between Starbuck followers and Bo-Katan followers? 

It’s lastly teetering previous the 50 % mark into Bo territory. It’s truly a tossup between Starbuck from Battlestar Galactica, Vic from Longmire and Bo at some conventions, so the metrics on my social media are lastly going youthful. In fact, there’s nothing fallacious with older followers; I like all of them, however I’m lastly into that 25 to 35 vary.

Yeah, I used to be going to convey up that my dad is aware of you as Vic Moretti above all else. So that you’ve obtained all of the bases lined. 

Does he watch The Mandalorian?

He doesn’t. Fantasy and sci-fi isn’t actually in his wheelhouse.

Present him episode [302] with [Bo] strolling away with two weapons on her hips and simply say, “Does that stroll look acquainted?” He’ll go, “Oh yeah.” (Laughs.) It’s so humorous as a result of my husband was like, “You actually do have swishy hips.” (Laughs.)

Battlestar co-creator Ron Moore labored on a short-lived Star Wars live-action present a decade in the past. Have the 2 of you been in a position to catch up because you’ve joined The Mandalorian?

We’ve not, truly, however he’s positively advised me that he was excited for me and issues like that. Starbuck was such a present, and Ron Moore is such a gifted individual. I used to at all times say that to be a fly on the wall of his mind would simply be so particular, and it has been the purpose of my profession to do an entire circle and work with him once more.

Whether or not it’s animation or video video games, it’s very uncommon for a voice/seize performer to reprise their actual function in live-action, even when they work in live-action frequently. You’ve achieved it, as has Merle Dandridge on The Final of Us, however are you hopeful that your lead will open extra doorways for different authentic performers? 

I do hope, however I’m additionally pragmatic about it as properly. I consider that I, for the majority of my profession, haven’t been out making interval rom-coms. To a sure extent, I’ve performed characters which can be similar to Bo-Katan, so I do perceive how the transition was simpler to think about, if you’ll. However simply as a viewer, I need to see the one who’s proper for the function. 100%. However I do consider that each voice actor, if they’ve a profession in live-action, ought to get a crack, for positive. However I additionally don’t consider that it ought to be a given in each circumstance.

Are you continue to in shock that this name got here? This kind of factor simply doesn’t occur.

It doesn’t occur, and I’m overwhelmed by the reception of this character. The truth that folks love watching her and that she appears to have been accepted by everybody is de facto cool. The most effective praise that anybody may give you as a performer is that they love to observe a personality you’ve helped create. So I’m simply blown away by the truth that this occurred and that I used to be allowed to play this character in live-action. All of it has been superb, and it simply retains getting higher.

So, because the story goes, you didn’t know that Luke Skywalker was the cloaked determine once you shot the top of Mandalorian season two. Had been you extra within the loop this season? 

I used to be, yeah. So, throughout season two, I’d get my scenes, and that’s actually all I noticed. However this season, I’ve the entire scripts, and I’ve a much wider scope of what’s occurring round me. I had the scene that Luke Skywalker was in, however it stated, “Plo Koon.” (Laughs.) I used to be utterly misled and lied to by Dave Filoni, and I like him a lot for it. However I’m so glad that everybody did that as a result of it allowed me to go on that journey with the followers and be simply as stunned. So I cherished that.

On the finish of “Chapter 19: The Convert,” the Armorer (Emily Swallow) tells Bo-Katan that she can also be redeemed, however she’s not precisely leaping for pleasure, is she?

Probably not. I feel that she’s weighing her choices. At the start of the episode, we see that the whole lot she has is gone now. All the pieces. She’s misplaced her house. She’s misplaced her house world. She’s misplaced her household. She’s misplaced her folks. She’s misplaced the Darksaber. She has nothing left. And so the concept these folks settle for her with open arms is intriguing to her. I additionally don’t know if Bo has ever felt so readily accepted by anybody, and in her thoughts, she’s most likely considering that this would possibly work.

Was Bo’s redemption unwelcome information for you, personally, because it meant extra helmet time, no less than for now?

(Laughs.) I like working within the helmet. It’s a unique problem being within the helmet than the times the place my face is uncovered. It’s at all times attention-grabbing to try to promote emotion with simply my physique and my head, however I get so excited. I like to observe the takes. I run again to the monitor, I watch it again and I attempt to ask myself, “What does that appear to be she’s considering?” After which we go once more, and we do it once more. So I welcome the times with the helmet, and I additionally don’t should put the wig on, which makes life simpler, too. These are additionally nice days as a result of it’s not as scorching.

So why is she enjoying coy about seeing the mythosaur? Why didn’t she inform Mando?

I feel she’s involved that she’s going to sound loopy. She actually noticed the image of her people who she thought was a metaphor. Is she going loopy unexpectedly? She was slightly below excessive circumstances, so she may have imagined it. And I don’t assume that she’s able to danger that but for an individual that she doesn’t actually know, so I simply assume she’s making an attempt to determine what which means proper now.

Once we met her once more this season, she was in a funk. Her crew bailed on her with the stolen ship, and he or she’d given up her designs to retake Mandalore. Was this mythosaur sighting the wake-up name she wanted?

It may very well be. It simply depends upon the best way that she decides to interpret it and what it means and what precisely it’s telling her. However I don’t know. I feel the largest wake-up name for Bo was the loss of life of her sister [Satine] years in the past, and the whole lot she’s achieved since that second has been to try to make amends for that second.

Wherever she goes, destruction follows, be it Mandalore or now Kryze Citadel. Has a part of her entertained the concept she’s cursed or snake-bitten? 

That’s most likely a part of what’s going by her thoughts proper now, however I additionally assume that she’s good sufficient to know that it’s not essentially her and that it’s the means and the ways in which she’s gone about the whole lot. That’s what she is questioning proper now. She is considering to herself that perhaps she wasn’t meant to steer. 

When your daughter grows up and asks you about your time on The Mandalorian, what day are you going to inform her about first?

So my daughter was on set rather a lot this season, and I’ve so many photos of her. In fact, she wasn’t imagined to go to set, however I’d simply wander round along with her. (Laughs.) She was so little; I may have hid her inside my swimsuit. However I’ve photos of her with droids when she was 3 months outdated, and he or she was simply mind-blown at this stuff. I’ve obtained photos of her within the pram with Grogu. They appear to be they’re on a experience at Disneyland. So I’m positive she’s going to develop up considering that there’s not a cool bone in her mother’s physique, which is completely wonderful. However I’ll simply convey out the images of her crying in a pram with Grogu and make them our Christmas card or one thing. (Laughs.) These are simply cool recollections and issues that she will be able to keep in mind me by, even after I’m gone.

I hope you’ve discovered some wall area to place up these photographs.

I’m ready for the fitting second to ask Disney for all of these photographs.

Effectively, Katee Sackhoff, congratulations on The Mandalorian and Bo-Katan, and please give my finest to Kara Thrace. 

I consider she’s lifeless! (Laughs.)

She’s nonetheless part of you!

She’s within the solar with Anders, someplace. (Laughs.)

Is there any actuality the place you and the Battlestar solid reunite for a one-off particular or one thing restricted? 

I do know that we might all need to, however I additionally know that the plans to remake Battlestar are usually not with us. So I can solely converse for myself, however I’m excited for the property to dwell on. If I used to be upset about it, I’d be a hypocrite, as a result of it’ll most likely be simply as lengthy between the unique [1978-79’s Battlestar Galactica] and ours [2004-09] as there will probably be between ours and another person’s. So it’s been 20 years [since we started], and I’m simply excited to see what another person can do with it. However a pair years in the past, we did a read-through of “33” at Tricia’s [Helfer] home, and I feel that that lives on-line, someplace. That was actually cool.

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The Mandalorian is now airing on Disney+. This interview was edited for size and readability.