For many Star Wars fans, Benedict Cumberbatch would be the ideal actor to bring Grand Admiral Thrawn to life in live-action. Unfortunately, the Doctor Strange star has no interest... and not because he dislikes the character.
Cumberbatch was asked about being a fan-favorite pick to play Thrawn during an interview with Collider, and wasn't actually sure who the villain was. When he was given some background on the character - and told that he'd have to play him under blue makeup - he made his feelings on the matter very clear.
"That’s a straight no from me, right now. There’s no way I want to be turned blue. I turned the air blue, very recently. No no, seriously, I have precious time with my children and I think sitting in a makeup chair and being painted blue, and the amount of time it would take to do that and then take it off at the end of the day might just… it’s not the right time in my life for that."
To be fair, he's probably only half serious here, and might well reconsider if he was ever actually given the opportunity to play Thrawn. And if not, there's always Lars Mikkelsen!
First introduced in Timothy Zahn’s Expanded Universe Heir to the Empire novel, the cerebral Grand Admiral made his animated debut in Star Wars Rebels back in 2016. The character disappeared along with Ezra Bridger in the series finale, so if the rumors that the planned Ahsoka Tano spinoff is going to focus on the search for the young force-wielder are true, it only makes sense that Thrawn would also have a role to play.
Who would be your pick to play Grand Admiral Thrawn in live-action? Let us know in the comments section.
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