Summary
Star Warsfans are rooting for Liev Schreiber to take over the late Ray Stevenson’s character, Baylan Skoll, inAhsoka. Furthermore, a fan-made image shows why Schreiber is the perfect choice to play the role.
Stevenson debuted as the orange-lightsaber-wielding baddie in the premiere episode ofAhsoka. Baylan was integral to the first two episodes ofAhsoka, which set up the search for Grand Admiral Thrawn while laying the groundwork for a battle between him andRosario Dawson’s Ahsoka Tano. Stevenson was an effective villain but sadly passed away in May 2023 before the show aired, leaving fans brokenhearted because they wanted to see more of Baylan in the series. Fortunately, they found an actor who could pass as Stevenson to portray the ruthless mercenary in the same light.
OneStar Warsfan (Jedi Warrior 117) took to Reddit and shared side-by-side photos of Stevenson and Schreiber. One snap featured Schreiber as Baylan, and there was an undeniable resemblance between him and the late actor. Aside from the striking similarities in their face, both actors share the same height and build. So, giving the role to Schreiber would not make a difference to the show, and that’s a positive note given that Baylan, even if he’saStar Warsvillain, has earned his own following due to his charisma and personality.
Several fans agreed that both actors looked the same. Aside from that, many approved of the suggestion because, just like Stevenson, Schreiber is a very talented actor and director. While he may be widely known forplaying Wolverine nemesis Sabretooth, he has earned several awards for acting, including the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture in 2016 and the Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play in 2005, to name a few. So, there’s no question about his prowess at acting. Several fans shared how they loved Schreiber’s acting talent, with one saying he saw him perform on Broadway and he was the best actor they had seen in person. Some netizens also pointed out that, aside from face, height, and build, Schreiber had the same voice and accent as Stevenson, which was very important for the character. One also noted that “Liev is more than someone who has the same physical features as Ray; he is an amazing actor.”
There is no doubt that fans are right about Schreiber sharing Stevenson’s physical appearance. Schreiber resembles Stevenson, suggesting he would be a good replacement because the audience would not need to familiarize themselves with a new face to recognize Baylan. Both gentlemen command the same aura and physical intimidation factor.
Others argued that fans should not focus on the similarities of the two actors' appearance and should give more weight to Schreiber’s acting skills. It’s right that the audience should consider the actor’s talent in front of the cameras. However, that’s something that one should care less about Schreiber, who has a good reputation and an impressive portfolio in his acting career. Schreiber also has incredible range and an amazing accent and voice. There is no doubt that he could portray Baylan as well as Stevenson. So, the more important thing to know is if Schreiber is willing to take up the mantle from Stevenson, especially sinceBaylan Skoll may have a larger role inAhsokaseason 2.
Ahsokastreams on Disney Plus.
Ahsoka
Rosario Dawson stars as Ahsoka Tano in this Disney Plus Star Wars series that brings some of the franchise’s most beloved characters from the animated world into live-action. The series, created by Dave Filoni, also stars Natasha Liu Bordizzo as Sabine Wren, Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Hera Syndulla, and the late Ray Stevenson as Baylan Skoll.
