Cameron Riley Monaghan, an American actor, model, and former child performer, was born on August 16, 1993. He is known for portraying Cal Kestis in the Star Wars Jedi series of video games.
Additionally, he gained recognition for his portrayal of Ian Gallagher in the Shameless comedy-drama series on Showtime. Furthermore, he played the dual roles of twins Jerome and Jeremiah Valeska in the Fox crime drama Gotham.
Back in 2018, Cameron Monaghan secured the leading role of Cal Kestis in Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order. This Star Wars video game, developed by Respawn Entertainment, was slated for release on November 15, 2019. Kestis appealed to him due to the character's inherent optimism despite the hardships he faced, and the fact that he hadn't previously worked on any video games. During the Fallen Order casting, Monaghan was initially unlikely to be selected, with his audition clip mistakenly placed in an "Other" folder instead of the "Review First" folder. However, Aaron Contreras ultimately viewed his audition after being unconvinced by the "Review First" candidates, realizing Monaghan was perfect for the role.
After landing the role, Cameron had to keep it a secret. When quizzed by family or friends, he'd simply say, "I'll be busy, but I can't say why." Playing Cal Kestis was a significant experience for Monaghan, marking his first foray into motion capture performance. While he had seen actors perform with such technology, he initially thought it was merely voice work until he grasped the full concept. Cameron relished his work on the game, appreciating the freedom to explore the limits of imagination within a digital environment, likening it to playing in a large sandbox. His casting was officially announced at Celebration Chicago in 2019.
During a "Star Wars: Jedi Game Series" panel at Ocala Comic Con on September 16, 2023, Cameron Monaghan revealed that the third Jedi game was already in development.
According to StarWars.com, Monaghan has been a Star Wars fan since childhood. He grew up watching the Star Wars original trilogy on VHS, frequently replaying his favorite Darth Vader scenes. He remembers wielding a toy lightsaber for so long that it became bent and unusable. He also recalls watching Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace with his grandfather at age seven in 1999, which was a pleasant experience for both. Monaghan also watched Star Wars: The Clone Wars during its original broadcast and played Star Wars video games.
- SWCC 2019: 5 Things We learned from the Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order panel on StarWars.com (backup link)
- The Galaxy-Wide Premiere of Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order Live Panel on the official Star Wars YouTube channel (backup link)
- The Star Wars Show: Cameron Monaghan Takes The Stage At SWCC 2019 | The Star Wars Show Live! on the official Star Wars YouTube channel (backup link)
- Cameron Monaghan of Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order Talks Cal Kestis Toys and Becoming a Jedi on StarWars.com (backup link)
- SWCA 2022: Respawn's Stig Asmussen Talks Star Wars Jedi: Survivor and Reflects on its Predeccesor – Exclusive on StarWars.com (backup link)
- Star Wars Jedi: Survivor: Cameron Monaghan on Cal Kestis' Next Adventure on StarWars.com (backup link)
- This Week! in Star Wars Star Wars: The High Republic Box Set Reveal, Andor Props, and More! on the official Star Wars YouTube channel (backup link)
- " Launchpad " — Star Wars Insider 217
- Star Wars Celebration LIVE! 2023 - DAY 3 on the official Star Wars YouTube channel (backup link)
- Star Wars #JediSurvivor star Cameron Monaghan has a gift for the fans at #StarWarsCelebration on the official Star Wars YouTube channel (backup link)
- This Week! in Star Wars Star Wars Celebration Europe 2023 Recap on the official Star Wars YouTube channel (backup link)
- Star Wars Jedi: Survivor - Jedi Coaching Sessions Trailer on the official Electronic Arts Star Wars YouTube channel (backup link)
- Star Wars Jedi: Survivor Is Here! on StarWars.com (backup link)
- A Long Time Ago... on the official Star Wars YouTube channel (backup link)
- Cameron Monaghan ( @CameronMonaghan ) on Twitter (backup link (CameronMonaghan) not verified!)
- Cameron Monaghan on Wikipedia
- Cameron Monaghan at the Internet Movie Database