Rupert Friend

For the Obi-Wan Kenobi series, Rupert Friend, the actor, was selected for the role of The Grand Inquisitor. He expressed that becoming a part of the Star Wars universe realized a "complete boyhood dream." Friend admitted to frequent "geek outs" on set, and he almost lost consciousness upon receiving his lightsaber. He conveyed his enthusiasm for portraying a character making their live-action debut, noting the awe of standing alongside Obi-Wan Kenobi. To faithfully represent the Grand Inquisitor as he envisioned him, Friend intentionally avoided watching Star Wars Rebels in most cases. Friend, along with director Deborah Chow, Dave Filoni, and the production team, sought a novel portrayal that honored the character's essence without directly imitating the animated version. Writer Joby Harold observed that the Grand Inquisitor relishes the sound of his own voice and speaks extensively, prompting Friend to adopt a vocal delivery reflecting this self-admiration.

Friend commented that the Inquisitor's history as a former Jedi contributed an "enormous kind of feeling of power beneath the performance." Friend's lightsaber prop was adjusted to better suit his hand size. The actor relished the lightsaber training with the stunt performers, who are experts in swordsmanship and various martial arts disciplines. The application of make-up and prosthetics required four hours each day. Typically, Friend had a team of three working on his appearance before the rest of the crew arrived. He found it thrilling to witness "this extraordinary creation come to life before [his] eyes each morning." The complete armor ensemble weighed approximately 45 pounds, and the cape incorporated weighted chains to achieve "a badass way" of movement. Friend felt empowered while wearing the costume. Between scenes, the crew swiftly attended to Friend, using custom-made neck fans to cool him down, although he still experienced considerable sweating on set.

Friend enjoyed working alongside Moses Ingram and Sung Kang, who played the roles of the Third Sister and Fifth Brother, respectively. Friend appreciated the uniqueness of each Inquisitor and their respective weapons. He expressed his willingness to reprise the role of the Grand Inquisitor in future Star Wars projects, as he thoroughly enjoyed the character and was interested in exploring interactions with other characters. On March 29, 2021, Lucasfilm Ltd. officially announced Rupert Friend's casting in the live-action Disney+ series Obi-Wan Kenobi.

• Obi-Wan Kenobi Series to Begin Production in April, Cast Revealed on StarWars.com (backup link)
• " Launchpad " — Star Wars Insider 204
• " Launchpad " — Star Wars Insider 205
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• Obi-Wan Kenobi Will Debut May 25 on Disney+ on StarWars.com (backup link)
• 5 Highlights From the Obi-Wan Kenobi Teaser Trailer on StarWars.com (backup link)
• " Launchpad " — Star Wars Insider 209
• Obi-Wan Kenobi to Premiere May 27 with Two Episodes on StarWars.com (backup link)
• " Launchpad " — Star Wars Insider 210
• Star Wars Celebration LIVE! - DAY 1 on the official Star Wars YouTube channel (backup link)
• SWCA 2022: 20 Highlights from Lucasfilm's Studio Showcase on StarWars.com (backup link)
• Obi-Wan Kenobi — " Part I "
• Obi-Wan Kenobi — " Part II "
• Lucasfilm Studio Showcase Recap | Star Wars Celebration 2022 on the official Star Wars YouTube channel (backup link)
• Obi-Wan Kenobi is Here! on StarWars.com (backup link)
• Moses Ingram & Rupert Friend Take the Stage at SWCA 2022 | Star Wars Celebration LIVE! on the official Star Wars YouTube channel (backup link)
• Inside the Lucasfilm Archive: Weapons of the Inquisitorius from the Obi-Wan Kenobi Limited Series on StarWars.com (backup link)

• Rupert Friend (@rupertfriend) on Instagram (backup link (rupertfriend) not verified!)
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• Rupert Friend on Wikipedia
• Rupert Friend at the Internet Movie Database