“Andor” general was fairly in contrast to something within the “Star Wars” universe earlier than it. A two-season gritty, galactic political drama chronicling the rise of the Riot and main straight as much as the occasions of “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story,” it is by far probably the most grownup this franchise has ever been. It additionally wasn’t massive on cameos or issues of that nature, which is the main reason why we didn’t see a young Princess Leia, for instance. However that does not imply there weren’t some cameos to look out for; they have been simply hidden in plain sight.
One of the crucial inconceivable to identify cameos happened in “Andor” season 2, episode 4 (titled “Ever Been to Ghorman?”), which helps set the stage for the Ghorman massacre we see in episode 8 (titled “Who Are You?”). Within the episode, Cassian (Diego Luna) is tasked with scouting out the individuals of Ghorman, who’re planning to insurgent in opposition to the Empire. Earlier than he heads to the planet, although, he is given a faux id by way of an earpiece, with an off-screen voice feeding him the pertinent particulars. That voice was supplied by none aside from Sam Witwer, aka the voice of Darth Maul on varied animated sequence and a “Star Wars” legend in his personal proper.
Sam Witwer’s secret cameo in ANDOR Season 2
As Cassian will get prepared to go away Coruscant for Ghorman, he corresponds with an individual by way of an earpiece, who’s voiced by Sam Witwer. Watch/hear beneath…. pic.twitter.com/kSPuUIBpbp
— Star Wars Holocron (@sw_holocron) May 1, 2025
“Your identify is Varian Skye. You moved to the style district the place you discovered work as an assistant designer,” the voice says. Witwer’s voice, nonetheless, is distorted sufficient in order that it is robust to acknowledge that it’s certainly him offering Cassian with these essential particulars. So, despite the fact that we by no means see Witwer on display, he does have a key position to play on this episode.
It is value mentioning that Witwer additionally had a short however essential cameo in “Andor” season 1, episode 7, playing the stormtrooper who arrests Cassian.
Andor season 2 provides to Sam Witwer’s spectacular Star Wars resume
Witwer may not be a reputation that almost all of us acknowledge immediately, however he is definitely somebody who followers of the “Star Wars” franchise will know from his work. The actor obtained his begin in a galaxy far, far-off by voicing Starkiller/Galen Marek, aka Darth Vader’s secret apprentice, within the “Pressure Unleashed” video video games. And whereas these video games are not canon, it was the beginning of a protracted relationship between Witwer and Lucasfilm.
Certainly, most “Star Wars” followers know Witwer primarily as the voice of Darth Maul on “The Clone Wars” and “Star Wars Rebels.” After being lower in half by Obi-Wan Kenobi in “Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace,” Darth Maul was left for useless by Palpatine. Nevertheless, upon dropping the “Darth” a part of his identify, Maul made his return to the galaxy in “The Clone Wars” season 3, turning into a massively essential a part of the present. Witwer, in flip, helped deliver numerous depth to the fan-favorite character, later reprising the position as soon as once more in “Rebels” (the place Maul finally met his demise).
Witwer additionally has the excellence of being one of the few actors who has portrayed Palpatine over time, having voiced the chief of the Empire in “The Pressure Unleashed,” “Star Wars Battlefront,” and several other different video video games over time. Witwer may be very a lot a kind of actors who has turn into a part of the material of “Star Wars,” not in contrast to Warwick Davis (who performed Wicket the Ewok in “Star Wars: Episode VI — Return of the Jedi,” solely to return as a number of different characters over time as effectively).
Witwer’s legacy inside the franchise will proceed subsequent 12 months as he is returning as soon as once more as Maul for the animated sequence “Star Wars: Maul — Shadow Lord,” which was announced during this year’s Star Wars Celebration. This sequence will choose up within the aftermath of “The Clone Wars,” filling in some essential gaps within the character’s general timeline.
“Andor” is streaming now on Disney+.
