Star Wars‘ impact on the sci-fi realm remains unmatched and is responsible for putting several Hollywood icons on the map, with major examples being Harrison Ford and Mark Hamill. But working in the confinements of such a huge cinematic universe playing the same character for a prolonged period isn’t something many A-listers want to commit to.
As a result, despite making a name for themselves throughout their run in the franchise, several fan favorites eventually parted ways with the $10.3 Billion franchise.
5 Actors Who Parted Ways With Star Wars
1. John Boyega
Marking his Star Wars debut as Finn in 2015’s The Force Awakens, John Boyega became an instant fan-favorite, who did go on to reprise his role in The Last Jedi and The Rise of Skywalker. But moving forward, the actor has no intentions of returning to the IP following his mixed experience working in the trilogy while also expressing that FInn’s story is done.
2. Benicio Del Toro
Known for his work in The Usual Suspects and Sicario, before playing the small but memorable role of DJ in The Last Jedi, Del Toro was once on board to play Darth Maul in The Phantom Menace. But it wasn’t long before Del Toro parted ways with the production after George Lucas reduced Maul’s screentime and dialogues, resulting in the actor’s eventual departure.
3. Denis Lawson
While Dennis Lawson has lent his voice to the 2001’s Rogue Squadron II and a few other Star Wars projects, including a brief cameo in The Rise of Skywalker, he is mostly done with the IP. Since playing X-wing pilot Wedge Antilles in the original trilogy, the actor has been largely out of the franchise for 4 decades, even claiming he’s completely done, but still eventually reprised the role.
4. Ahmed Best
Ahmed Best didn’t exactly have a great time during the Prequel Trilogy portraying Jar Jar Binks, as the actor found himself amidst extreme fan backlash following their bitterness towards the character. This hate wagon did become extremely overwhelming for the actor, who struggled with suicidal thoughts as a result. And while he did reprise his role in a few other projects, he is done with the IP for good.
5. Terence Stamp
While Best experienced the ugly side of the fandom, Torrence Stamp had a rough time working with George Lucas in The Phantom Menace. The actor claimed that Lucas wasn’t a director of the actors and was more engaged with the visual effects department. But this wasn’t the lone issue that pushed him to quit the role of Finis Valorum in future entries, as he further claimed he wasn’t well compensated for the part.
But parting ways with the franchise hasn’t hugely hindered their careers, especially Boyega, who is enjoying great success outside the sci-fi realm, with one example being The Woman King.
