Hassan Taj is a actor and performer who notably operated R2-D2 in the 2019 film Star Wars: Episode IX The Rise of Skywalker along with droid builder Lee Towersey. His first ever acting role was in Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018), where he portrayed a MPH power droid in the scenes on Mimban and various other droids during the slave uprising at the spice mines of Kessel. On set he was trained and assisted by Towersey and after having "proven" himself in Solo he was chosen by him to perform R2-D2 in The Rise of Skywalker. He also performed creatures in the film's scenes on the Resistance base on Ajan Kloss alongside Warwick Davis and Arti Shah. Taj said that he found it difficult at times to perform the droids in Solo, especially on the muddy and uneven Mimban set, and had sometimes be assisted by commands he received over earphones as he often couldn't see couldn’t see out of his costume.[1]
Hassan Taj returned in 2024 for the TV series Star Wars: The Acolyte, where he portrayed the Tynnan tracker Bazil.[2]
Works[]
Filmography[]
| Year | Title | Series | Contribution(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Solo: A Star Wars Story | A MPH power droid, JV-P12, HT-IN-4 and other droids[1] | |
| 2019 | Star Wars: Episode IX The Rise of Skywalker | Multiple creatures, R2-D2[1] | |
| 2024 | "Day" | Star Wars: The Acolyte | Bazil[2] |
| 2024 | "Night" | The Acolyte | Bazil[2] |
Sources[]
- Star Wars: Episode IX The Rise of Skywalker
"Inside the Astromech" — Star Wars Insider 202- Inside The Acolyte Creature Shop: Meet Bazil, the Tynnan Tracker - First Details on StarWars.com (backup link)
