Rogue One is arguably the best Star Wars movie since the franchise was reborn. In fact, it’s the one film with the fewest nitpicks. But certainly the most criticized aspect of the Gareth Edwards pic is its portrayal of Grand Moff Tarkin.
Peter Cushing, who played the role in the Original Trilogy, passed away in 1994 and in order to bring him back for Rogue One, the filmmakers used an actor as a stand-in so the visual effects team could digitally paint in Cushing using old footage. That actor’s name is Guy Henry and the results were, shall we say, mixed.
While it was exciting to see an old character who helps bridge the gap between Rogue One and A New Hope, the effects were poor. The movement of the character and the way he interacts with others just felt unnatural and was yet another example of the uncanny valley theory which focuses on our ability to perceive real human interaction and recognize when we’re being manipulated.
Now that we know a Rogue One prequel series focusing on Cassian Andor is coming to Disney Plus, speculation has turned to which other characters will appear. Tarkin is reportedly in, but according to a report from the Star Wars Sessions podcast, Henry isn’t slated to be involved in the project.
Bespin Bulletin shared the details and noted that Henry’s team denies the actor having any involvement in the upcoming show. That may be true as of right now, but it doesn’t mean he won’t in the future. Then again, they don’t really need Henry for the role. They could easily find another person with a similar body type and a talent for mimicry.
In any case, production on the Cassian Andor series hit a bit of a snag (what Star Wars production hasn’t?) due to script issues and then COVID-19. When it does eventually reach Disney Plus, though, fans will no doubt be in for a treat.