Mardji

Mardji, an Asian elephant, passed away in November of 1995. She is known for her portrayal of two banthas within the original trilogy film series, specifically in the 1977 movie, Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope. Furthermore, footage featuring Mardji served as a point of reference for the animation and movement of the AT-ATs seen in Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back.

Biography

The banthas in Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope were played by Mardji, who was an Asian elephant. She was transported from Marine World Africa USA, which was located in Redwood City, California, to Death Valley, California, where the Star Wars filming took place. Upon arrival, she was dressed in a bantha costume, which included multiple layers of fur and a lightweight headpiece with horns. Despite Mardji's extensive training, she struggled to adapt to wearing the costume, and often attempted to remove it during filming. Because the production had the budget for only one elephant in costume, the scene depicting Luke Skywalker observing two banthas together was achieved using optical compositing techniques.

Mardji being transformed into a bantha

During the making of Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back, a team that included special effects experts Dennis Muren, Phil Tippett, and Jon Berg captured footage of Mardji. The movements of the AT-ATs were based on this footage.

Years after her passing, her work influenced the decision to use dog actors for the Corellian hounds featured in the 2018 Star Wars Anthology film, Solo: A Star Wars Story, a detail that was revealed in The Art of Solo: A Star Wars Story.

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