Ahmed Best talks about bringing his Jedi character to life in THE MANDALORIAN

Seeing Ahmed Best show up unexpectedly The Mandalorian Season 3 episode “The Foundling” as a Jedi and heroically saving Grogu from being killed while performing Order 66 at the Jedi Temple on Coruscant was pretty awesome! This was one of the highlights of The Mandalorian season 3, and during a recent interview with StarWars.com, the actor talked about bringing his character, Kelleran Beq, to ​​life.

It is explained that “after months of conversation, reflection and planning, Ahmed Best was ready to take his first steps into the wider world of Star Wars.” Everything fell into place with Best when he first donned his Jedi robes. He explained:

“As soon as I wore the clothes to my first costume fitting, and I went ahead to get Jon and Dave’s approval, and they handed me a lightsaber, I was like, ‘Oh, I’m into this,’ and boom, Kelleran Beq came to life.

Best was invited to join the series by Jon Favreau, Dave FiloniAND Rick Famuyiwabut deciding to go back in the Star Wars the universe wasn’t a decision he was going to make without thinking, especially after the bullying and pain he endured playing Jar Jar Binks in the prequel trilogy. It took some consideration before the actor agreed to come aboard. He spoke of that saying:

“Honestly, I had to think about it. I’ve been in the world of Star Wars for so long and my story is such a roller coaster ride of emotions. So going back to Star Wars was not an easy decision for me. It wasn’t something I could immediately say yes to. I had to marinate on top for a while. I mean, I was excited. I don’t think people really understand how much I care about Star Wars. I really care. I’m really into the storytelling, the mythology, the fans. I really want Star Wars to deliver, and if I become a hindrance to that, then I shouldn’t be there. I don’t want to be bigger than history. I don’t want to be bigger than mythology. I want to contribute, I want to add to it. So it took me a minute.

Thanks to the support of the creators of the show he was convinced to do it. He said: “I was still nervous, but it was Favreau and Filoni, and being with them, that made me want to come back.”

He went on to talk about creating the character, Kelleran Beq, which was originally introduced in 2020 Star Wars: Jedi Temple Challenge game show. Best took Kelleran’s surname from his own Star Wars: Attack of the Clones cameo character, pilot Achk Med-Beq. On the show, Best is both the host and teacher of the competing Padawan teams and went on to say:

“I went deep with Kelleran Beq. It’s really special to me. Kelleran Beq was a character named that I created, that I came up with, he was really encouraged by the Jedi Temple Challenge team and the StarWars.com team. Everyone has been so kind to embrace my crazy ideas and push them forward, and to see that then migrate to The Mandalorian is really super special.

Best explained that he collaborated closely with the series’ costume designer Shawna Trpcic on the appearance of his Jedi character, including robes and tunic. She also incorporated elements of her tribal tattoos, as well as Afrofuturistic symbols into the gold detailing of her dress. Best also created his own vision of the Force and how he experiences it by saying:

“To me, the Force isn’t just this thing that Jedi draw on when they want to throw something heavy. The Force is this thing that’s constantly moving. Always interact with it. I look at it as if you’re underwater and you’re moving through the water, that’s what it feels like to move with the Force. So trusting the Force means trusting that these ups and downs of this feeling, you can move.

“In every single situation of this, I’m really trying to tune into this greater feeling of the Force. When I get attacked by clone troopers, I hear them coming. The waves of the Force are moving me before they even show up. So I know what’s going to happen because I feel the wave and then I can react to the wave. Same thing on the speeder. I hear the ship coming, so I can react. I can see that he has a lot of faith in this ability to navigate the Force.

Best continued to discuss how his character is a celebration of teaching, saying, “I see Kelleran as this blue-collar Jedi who becomes a professor, who wants to be a teacher. Not a reluctant teacher, not someone dedicated to teaching. Who wants to influence, who wants to show Padawans how to become a greater version of themselves.

Best even developed his own fighting style and technique for Kelleran! Studying martial arts for over 40 years definitely came in handy and he was very inspired by Bruce Lee and “the style of the unknown”. This allows her character to “fall into all of these situations and adjust”. Then, of course, there was the lightsaber!

“The lightsaber of it all was really exciting to me. I’ve always, always, always wanted to fight with a lightsaber. And even in that, it’s only a tenth of one percent of what I can do. But I was like, ‘Let me get out there!’ Martial arts and motorcycles, I’m like, ‘I know. This is who I am.'”

He then spoke about the reception he hoped his Jedi character would be received by fans saying:

“I really care how Kelleran Beq will be received. I know that might not be nice to say, but I want everyone who watches Star Wars to look at Kelleran Beq and say, “I believe that guy.” I want to follow that boy. Where does he go? What happens next?’ I think all the best stories are stories that leave you wondering what happens next. I think that’s why Star Wars has survived so long, because all these characters are characters that have lives.”

From the fan reaction I’ve seen, that’s exactly the reception the character is getting, which is great to see!