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The Mandalorian: Pedro Pascal isn't always under the helmet — it's sometimes John Wayne's grandson
Who is really under that helmet in The Mandalorian? According to Bryce Dallas Howard, it isn't always Pedro Pascal (voice of the titular bounty hunter). Sometimes, it's a stunt double by the name of Brendan Wayne, grandson of famed Western star, John Wayne. He is one of two stand-ins on the live-action Star Wars series created by Jon Favreau. The other is a man named Lateef Crowder.
“[Pedro] was in rehearsals for King Lear on Broadway. And so, while we were doing my episode, I wasn’t working with Pedro,” Howard, who directed the fourth episode ("Sanctuary") of Season 1, told Vulture, stating that she mainly worked with Wayne. “He absolutely just brought everything to that character, and we were able to find the moments and figure them out together."
Wayne, whose other onscreen credits include Angel and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., couldn't have been a better choice, as The Mandalorian is often described as "a space western." His grandfather would probably be proud that he's carrying on the family legacy. Brendan previously worked with Favreau on the 2011 adaptation of Cowboys & Aliens.
Per Vulture, Wayne worked on the entirety of Season 1 and has been asked to return for Season 2, which is already in production. Seeing Pascal on set "frequently," he worked closely with the Wonder Woman actor to develop the main character's physical movements.
“[Pedro] would ask me, and I would ask him the same question, which is, ‘Why did you move like this during that moment?’ We would go back and forth,” Brendan said. “The great thing about him is he’s not impressed with himself. He’s just an actor. And I mean that in the good way, not the bad way. He likes to learn and he likes to collaborate and he’s very good at it.”
“Everyone is really figuring out together, Who is this character? What are these moments? What’s the movement like? What’s the energy like and the rhythm like? So that there was that consistency,” added Howard.
Episode 6 of The Mandalorian premieres on Disney+ this Friday, Dec. 13. Rick Famuyiwa (helmer of Chapter 2: "The Child") directs the sixth chapter, which he co-wrote with Christopher Yost. The script was based on a story by Yost.
