Ray Stevenson has joined the cast of the upcoming Star Wars series, Ahsoka, as one of the main villains. Introduced in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, the character of Ahsoka Tano was originally a controversial addition to the Star Wars universe by fans at the time. However, as the series went on, the character became a more beloved part of the series lore and was welcomed by audiences when she appeared in Star Wars: Rebels and made her first live-action appearance in The Mandalorian, played by Rosario Dawson.
In December 2020, during Disney's Investor Call, it was confirmed that Ahsoka was getting her own series on Disney+ that would tie into the events of The Mandalorian as well as then-announced series, Rangers of the New Republic and The Book of Booba Fett. The series is expected to pick up on plot threads hinted at in her episode of The Mandalorian, namely her quest to find Grand Admiral Thrawn, who was last seen in Star Wars: Rebels. The series has already cast Natasha Liu Bordizzo as Rebels character Sabine Wren as well as Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Ivanna Sakhno in unknown roles.
According to THR, Stevenson has joined the cast of Ahsoka as one of the villains of the series. While it is unknown exactly who, Stevenson is believed to be playing an admiral, but he is not playing Grand Admiral Thrawne. Stevenson is no stranger to the Star Wars universe as he previously voiced the character of Gar Saxon, a Mandalorian member of Death Watch who was loyal to Maul, in both Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars: Rebels. It is unlikely Stevenson is reprising that role since the character died in Star Wars: Rebels.
Stevenson has been a character actor working for years, with his major breakout role being Titus Pullo on the HBO series Rome. Stevenson has found himself in many major franchises. He played the role of The Punisher in 2008's Punisher: War Zone, Volstag in the MCU Thor films, and Firefly in G.I. Joe: Retaliation. Other notable roles Stevenson has played include Blackbeard on the series Black Sails and recently in the hit series Vikings as Ohthere of Hålogaland. The actor's history, as well as his relationship to the Star Wars franchise, makes him a welcome addition to the ever-growing Ahsoka cast.
Stevenson's admiral role could be a new character created for the series or possibly a pre-existing character in the Star Wars mythology that has not yet appeared in live-action. One possible candidate is Brendol Hux, who is the father of Admiral Hux (Domnahall Gleeson) in the sequel trilogy. Brendol Hux is one of the key figures in the formation of The First Order, and The Mandalorian has hinted that the fractured nature of the Empire will eventually build into The First Order. Therefore, Stevenson playing the father of one of the sequel trilogy characters in Ahsoka could create a greater sense of continuity among all the projects.
Source: THR