Several months before Ahsoka Season 1 premiered, Baylan Skoll actor Ray Stevenson died at the age of 58. Given where were left off with the former Jedi, it was initially unclear if the role would simply be recast for Ahsoka Season 2 or if those plans would be scrapped following Stevenson’s passing. It ended up being the latter, with Rory McCann taking over as Baylan, and his costar Ivanna Sakhno opened up about what it’s been like working with the Game of Thrones vet in this upcoming Star Wars TV show.
Sakhno spent a lot of time Ray Stevenson on Ahsoka’s first season, as she plays Shin Hati, Baylan’s apprentice. Although Shin and Baylan went their separate ways towards the end of Season 1, we’ll be seeing more of them together in Season 2, and Sakhno sang McCann’s praises to ScreenRant while promoting her 2025 movie release M3GAN 2.0:
We are actually currently in the middle of filming Season 2 in London. I came to New York for a few days [for M3GAN 2.0 press] and we’re very much one-fourth of the way [done with Ahsoka Season 2]. It was a great loss when Ray passed and something that nobody took lightly. But I have such gratitude for Dave and Lucasfilm and for them putting so much time and attention into finding the right person to continue Baylan’s story and Rory couldn’t have been a better choice.
Rosario Dawson’s Ahsoka Tano and Natasha Liu Bordizzo’s Sabine Wren, Baylan is currently stranded on the planet Peridea, but he’s not bothered by that whatsoever. Rather, he believes there’s a source of power on the planet that he believes can finally end the conflict between the light and dark sides of the Force. He seemed to come one step closer to achieving that objective when he discovered the Mortis statues, and it would have been a shame for that plot thread to be dropped.
Rory McCann has been carrying the mantle left behind by Ray Stevenson on Ahsoka, saying:
He is so depthful and has such immense respect for Baylan and also for what Ray has created, which allows for him to really bring his own into Baylan’s shoes. So watching him doing it has been a gift. And, of course, we all feel Ray’s presence as well and guidance. I feel immense gratitude and Rory is a dream to be around.
Rory McCann, of course, played Sandor “The Hound” Clegane in Game of Thrones, a character who, like Baylan Skoll, was very much bathed in shades of grey. Baylan, however, has more antagonistic traits than The Hound did, though perhaps those will be less emphasized now that he’s no longer affiliated with Grand Admiral Thrawn. In any case, I was already looking forward to seeing McCann’s portrayal of Baylan, and now that interest has increased after reading Ivanna Sakhno recount her positive experience with him.
Ahsoka Season 2 began filming in late April, and while a specific release date hasn’t been set yet, it’s a good bet it will come out sometime in 2026. Next year will also bring The Mandalorian & Grogu, which spins out of fellow Disney+ show The Mandalorian and will be the first theatrical Star Wars movie since 2019’s The Rise of Skywalker.