Warning! SPOILERS for The Mandalorian season 1 episode 6 ahead.
The Mandalorian sends the bounty hunter on a mission alongside a group of mercenaries who are played by a surprising cast of recognizable actors. The Disney+ series is a cultural phenomenon, with everything from Baby Yoda to the Mandalorian himself showing up in fan art, videos, and memes. The Mandalorian has fans everywhere, but even before the the series aired, it was attracting A-list talent.
Created by Jon Favreau, episodes of The Mandalorian are primarily written and occasionally directed by Favreau and Dave Filoni. They're joined by directors Bryce Dallas Howard, Taika Waititi, Deborah Chow, and Rick Famuyiwa. Favreau has also had an on screen cameo as a Mandalorian, while Waititi provided the voice of the bounty hunter droid, IG-11. In "Chapter 6: The Prisoner", a few more directors take part in fun cameos, but the episode's main cast is also made up of some surprising but familiar faces.
The Mandalorian season 1 episode 6, "Chapter 6: The Prisoner", sees the former bounty hunter agree to a job from an old friend, but it soon becomes clear the mission is not exactly what the Mandalorian thought he signed up for. Joined by a real scummy and villainous gang of criminals, the plan to break into a New Republic prison ship and rescue a prisoner held there quickly goes south. Here's ever guest actor who appears in The Mandalorian "Chapter 6: The Prisoner" and where you've probably seen (or heard) them before.
Mark Boone Junior as Ranzar "Ran" Malk
Mark Boone Junior plays Ranzar "Ran" Malk, the leader of a ragtag group of mercenaries who the Mandalorian worked with in the past. They are reacquainted in "Chapter 6: The Prisoner" because the Mandalorian needs a job and Ran needs the Mandalorian in order to get the job done. Boone Junior is best known for his role as Bobby "Elvis" Munson on FX's Sons of Anarchy, but he's also appeared in several films, including Memento and Batman Begins, in where he played Jim Gordon's corrupt partner, Detective Flass.
Bill Burr as Mayfield
Bill Burr plays Mayfield, a former Imperial sharpshooter (and pointedly not a stormtrooper) who Ran places in charge of the mission in "Chapter 6: The Prisoner", quickly putting him at odds with the Mandalorian. Most will know Burr as a stand-up comedian, but he's also acted in episodes of Breaking Bad, New Girl, and Kroll Show. For Netflix, Burr developed the animated show, F is for Family, and on it voices the character, Frank Murphy. Burr is also not what you would call a Star Wars fan, frequently mocking the franchise's most diehard fans, but that only makes his role on The Mandalorian all the funnier.
Natalia Tena as Xi'an
Natalia Tena plays Xi'an, a Twi'lek mercenary on Ran's crew who favors knives as her weapon of choice. She is also a former associate and, briefly, a lover of the Mandalorian's, but it doesn't appear the two parted on the best of terms. Audiences may not recognize Tena under her character's elaborate prosthetics - including blue skin, fangs, and a Twi'lek's signature lekku or head tails - but Tena has had prominent roles in two major franchises. She played Nymphadora Tonks in final four Harry Potter films, and the wildling, Osha, on Game of Thrones seasons 1 through 3 and again in season 6.
Clancy Brown as Burg
Clancy Brown plays Burg, a large Devaronian who acts as the muscle for Ran's mercenary team. Similarly to Tena's role at Xi'an, audiences may not recognize Brown in his devilish look as Burg, but they are sure to recognize his voice. Brown has had a prolific acting career, appearing in films like The Shawshank Redemption, Starship Troopers, and Hail, Caesar!, and starring in the HBO series Carnivàle, but it is for his voice work that Brown is best known. He has lent his voice to dozens of roles across TV, film, and video games, with two of his most well known roles being Lex Luthor in the many DC Comics' animated works and Mr. Krab in SpongeBob Squarepants. Burg isn't Brown's first Star Wars role, either, as he also voiced Savage Opress on Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Ryder Azadi on Star Wars Rebels.
Richard Ayoade as the voice of Q9-0
Richard Ayoade provides the voice of Q9-0, a droid in Ran's group who pilots the Razor Crest (much to the Mandalorian's disgust) for the mission in "Chapter 6: The Prisoner". It isn't clear exactly how much of the droid is practical versus digital effects, but its voice is 100% Ayoade. The comedian, actor, and director is best known for his role of Maurice Moss from The IT Crowd, but he's also a regular panelist on The Big Fat Quiz Show and hosts both Travel Man and The Crystal Maze. Ayoade has also directed music videos, the "Critical Film Studies" episode of Community, as well as written and directed his own films, Submarine and The Double.
Ismael Cruz Cordova as Qin
Ismael Cruz Córdova plays Qin, the brother of Xi'an and the very prisoner who the Mandalorian and this group of mercenaries are sent to rescue in "Chapter 6". Of the new cast in this episode of The Mandalorian, Córdova is likely the least well known. Still, he has guest-starred in episodes of The Good Wife, Ray Donovan, and Divorce, and had a main role on season 3 of Berlin Station. Funnily enough, one of Córdova's first major recurring roles was a character named Mando (short for Armando) on Sesame Street.
Matt Lanter as a New Republic Soldier
Matt Lanter plays the poor, hapless New Republic soldier who the Mandalorian and co. come across while searching the prison ship in "Chapter 6: The Prisoner". His sudden and unexpected appearance leads to a Mexican standoff between him, the Mandalorian, and Mayfield, but Xi'an quickly puts an end to it when she kills him with a throwing knife. The role is a minor one, but Lanter has already had an extensive role in the Star Wars galaxy, voicing Anakin Skywalker on Star Wars: The Clone Wars and again, briefly, in Star Wars Rebels. Lanter has also starred in NBC's Timeless and The CW's Star-Crossed, and he will reprise his role as Anakin for the new season of The Clone Wars on Disney+.
Dave Filoni, Deborah Chow, & Rick Famuyiwa as X-Wing Pilots
Directors Dave Filoni, Deborah Chow, and Rick Famuyiwa suit up for their own cameos in "Chapter 6: The Prisoner", appearing as three New Republic X-Wing pilots who the Mandalorian sics on Qin after delivering him back to Ran. The three pilots are even given proper names in the end credits: Filoni plays Trapper Wolf, Chow plays Sash Ketter, and Famuyiwa plays Jib Dodger. Behind-the-scenes, Filoni is best known to Star Wars fans as one of the creators responsible for Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels in addition to his recent work on The Mandalorian. Chow has previously directed episodes of Reign and Mr. Robot, and for The Mandalorian, directed "Chapter 3: The Sin" and "Chapter 7". She will also be the director for the upcoming Obi-Wan Kenobi Disney+ series. Famuyiwa directed "Chapter 2: The Child" as well this episode, "Chapter 6", which he also wrote with Christopher Yost. His most recent film is 2015's Dope.
The Mandalorian season 1 continues next Wednesday, December 18 with "Chapter 7" on Disney +.