Fans of Star Wars: The Clone Wars have a treat to discover on Disney Plus this week, as writer Dave Filoni takes us back to the prequel era to learn more about two of its most important characters.
Tales of the Jedi is a six-episode series that unfolds from two very different perspectives: half of it follows Count Dooku’s fall to the dark side and the other half details how Ahsoka Tano rose to become such a hardened fighter.
Though the episodes are short, ranging from 10-15 minutes in length, there is a lot of fascinating material to get into here, which adds extra meaning to events from other Star Wars films and television shows.
Lucasfilm have assembled a brilliant Tales of the Jedi cast, which includes fan favourites from earlier animated projects and some familiar faces from the live-action films. Read on for all the details.
Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi cast
Ashley Eckstein plays Ahsoka Tano
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Who is Ahsoka Tano? Ahsoka first came to prominence as Anakin Skywalker’s Padawan learner during the dark days of the Clone Wars. She survived the cataclysmic Order 66, which wiped out much of the Jedi order, to continue being a force for good during the reign of the Empire. Recently, she has resurfaced in The Mandalorian era, where she has been a friend to Din Djarin and Grogu, while on her search to track down Admiral Thrawn (to be continued in Disney Plus original Ahsoka). In Tales of the Jedi, we see three formative moments in her life.
What else has Ashley Eckstein been in? Eckstein is best known as a voice actor on animated projects, with her non-Star Wars work including Sofia the First, Ultimate Spider-Man, Avengers Assemble and She-Ra and the Princesses of Power.
Matt Lanter plays Anakin Skywalker
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Who is Anakin Skywalker? Anakin is a powerful Jedi knight serving the Republic during the Clone Wars and a mentor figure to Ahsoka Tano. His fall to the dark side would bring about the rise of an oppressive Empire, but in the years prior, he is a trusted friend of many galactic heroes.
What else has Matt Lanter been in? Lanter’s live-action roles include Liam Court in glossy teen drama 90210, Wyatt Logan in sci-fi favourite Timeless and George Hutchence in Netflix’s Jupiter’s Legacy. On the big screen, he appeared in spoofs Disaster Movie and Vampires Suck as well as musical comedy Pitch Perfect 3. His other voice acting gigs include Marvel’s Ultimate Spider-Man and several animated Justice League movies, where he plays Arthur Curry (AKA Aquaman).
Ian McDiarmid plays Chancellor Palpatine/Darth Sidious
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Who is Senator Palpatine/Darth Sidious? Senator Palpatine is a manipulative politician who uses growing chaos spreading across the galaxy to strengthen his position. Secretly, he is a Sith Lord by the name of Darth Sidious, who becomes the master of fallen Jedi Count Dooku and Anakin Skywalker.
What else has Ian McDiarmid been in? McDiarmid is best known for playing the iconic Star Wars villain Emperor Palpatine across the original, prequel and sequel trilogies. His other film projects include Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Sleepy Hollow and The Lost City of Z. On the small screen, he has appeared in Channel 4’s Utopia and Sky’s Britannia.
Liam Neeson plays Qui-Gon Jinn
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Who is Qui-Gon Jinn? Qui-Gon is a Jedi Master in the days of the Republic who trained under Count Dooku before his fall to the dark side. He died in a duel with Sith Lord Darth Maul (as depicted in The Phantom Menace), roughly a decade before the outbreak of the Clone Wars. Before his death, he trained Obi-Wan Kenobi and discovered a young Anakin Skywalker on Tatooine, insisting that he also learn the ways of the Jedi.
What else has Liam Neeson been in? Neeson is a prolific actor whose career dates back to the 1970s. He is known for his dramatic work in the likes of Schindler’s List, Michael Collins and Gangs of New York, as well as for blockbuster hits including The Dark Knight Trilogy, Taken and The A-Team. This is the latest reprisal of his fan favourite Star Wars role, following guest appearances in The Clone Wars and Obi-Wan Kenobi.
Micheál Richardson plays young Qui-Gon Jinn
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Who is Young Qui-Gon? A version of Qui-Gon we meet in Tales of the Jedi, while he’s still a Padawan learning the ways of the force under the tutelage of Count Dooku.
What else has Micheál Richardson been in? Richardson is the real-life son of actor Liam Neeson and has collaborated with his father several times, appearing alongside him in films Anchorman 2, Cold Pursuit and Made in Italy. He also starred in crime drama Big Dogs and art film Vox Lux.
Corey Burton plays Count Dooku
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Who is Count Dooku? Dooku was a Jedi Master who became disillusioned with their ways and turned to the dark side, learning the dark powers of the Sith under the treacherous Darth Sidious. Tales of the Jedi shows us three impactful moments in his life that led him to turn his back on the light.
What else has Corey Burton been in? Burton is a prolific voice actor with a long list of credits across film and television, including Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers, Avengers Assemble, and Hulk and the Agents of SMASH.
Bryce Dallas Howard plays Yaddle
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Who is Yaddle? Yaddle is a Jedi Master who sat on the high council during the events of The Phantom Menace. She is worried to see Dooku becoming distant from his former friends.
What else has Bryce Dallas Howard been in? Howard is best known for starring in the Jurassic World trilogy, which concluded this summer with box office hit Dominion. However, she has also become quite prolific in Star Wars as of late, directing episodes of The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett.
James Arnold Taylor plays Obi-Wan Kenobi
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Who is Obi-Wan Kenobi? Obi-Wan is one of the Republic’s most legendary Jedi, who trains Anakin Skywalker in the ways of the force and fights beside him often.
What else has James Arnold Taylor been in? Taylor has voiced Obi-Wan Kenobi in animation since 2003’s Clone Wars microseries by Genndy Tartakovsky. His other roles include Ratchet in Sony’s Ratchet & Clank franchise and Barry Allen (AKA The Flash) in various DC projects.
Clancy Brown plays The Inquisitor
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Who is The Inquisitor? One of several Empire operatives working for Darth Vader and Emperor Palpatine to eliminate the few remaining Jedi in hiding across the galaxy.
What else has Clancy Brown been in? Brown’s best known live-action projects include acclaimed films The Shawshank Redemption, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs and Promising Young Woman, as well as cult favourite sci-fi flick Starship Troopers. He previously joined the Star Wars family as devilish alien criminal Burg in the first season of The Mandalorian.
Phil Lamarr plays Bail Organa
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Who is Bail Organa? Bail is a Republic politician who believes in freedom and democracy for all across the galaxy. When the Empire rises, he secretly adopts one of Anakin Skywalker’s children – Leia – and raises her on the planet Alderaan.
What else has Phil LaMarr been in? LaMarr is best known for voicing the role of Hermes Conrad on long-running sci-fi comedy Futurama, while he has appeared in live-action in Lucifer, Veep, Supergirl and Murderville.
TC Carson plays Mace Windu
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Who is Mace Windu? Mace is one of the most powerful members of the Jedi Council, known for sticking rigidly to the rules and procedures by which the organisation functions – much to the frustration of Count Dooku.
What else has TC Carson been in? Carson is another actor to appear in both Tartakovsky’s original Clone Wars series and Dave Filoni’s longer form reboot, voicing Mace Windu in both projects. His live-action roles include Reggie in Greenleaf and Eldridge in DC’s Black Lightning.
Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi is available to stream on Disney Plus. Sign up to Disney Plus for £7.99 a month or £79.90 for a year. Check out more of our Sci-Fi coverage or visit our TV Guide to see what’s on tonight.
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