Jay Laga'aia

"I quite like the character, because he's this guardian that has Padmé's ear, and her counsel, and he can say things and decree things that not too many people can get away with as far as her security is involved. Once you get the costume on, it's a regal feeling, because the costume is so restrictive, you're forced to pull yourself up and forced to hold yourself with the shoulders back."

―Jay Laga'aia^[src]

Jay Laga'aia (born September 10, 1963) played Captain Typho in Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith. Because of his character's eye patch, he often had difficulty hitting his marks on set due to poor depth perception.^[1]

BiographyEdit

In Australia, Laga'aia is a presenter of the children's television show Play School, featuring in a range of the show's merchandise and songs. He also hosted the talent show StarStruck, replacing Jo Beth Taylor.

Laga'aia portrayed Draco in several episodes of the TV series Xena: Warrior Princess, Chase Brandstone in Legend of the Seeker, and Elijah Johnson in Home and Away.

Theatrically, he played the character Mufasa in the long-running production of The Lion King. In the 1994 Disney animated film, Mufasa was voiced by James Earl Jones. Laga'aia also starred in a 1994 production of Jesus Christ Superstar as Judas in New Zealand.

Laga'aia shared the screen with Star Wars co-star Temuera Morrison (Jango Fett and clone troopers) in the 1988 film Never Say Die. He appeared in the 1998 TV miniseries The Violent Earth and the 2009 horror film Daybreakers alongside Claudia Karvan, who portrayed Sola Naberrie, Padmé Amidala's elder sister. He was also in the 2006 film Solo and the TV series Legend of the Seeker with Bruce Spence (Tion Medon).

Laga'aia was the Celebrity Host for the Sagamore Ballroom stage at Celebration III in 2005,^[2] and for the Concourse Ballroom stage at Celebration IV in 2007.^[3]

For several years, Laga'aia has been the Ambassador for the Touch By Olivia Foundation Charity. In 2012, he was also chosen as the new Ambassador for the Queensland Kindergartens.^[4]

FilmographyEdit

Year	Title	Role	Other notes
2015–2018	Jay's Jungle	Jay	TV series
2014	The Half Dead	Dr. Keller	Announced
2012	The Unbroken	Morgan Stevens	(voice)
2010–2013	Home and Away	Elijah Johnson	TV series
2009	Daybreakers	Senator Turner
2009	Makazie One	Narrator	Short movie (voice)
2009	Lightswitch	Bo	Short movie
2008/2009	Legend of the Seeker	Chase Brandstone	TV series
2008–2011	Bed of Roses	Nick Pickering	TV series
2008	Larry the Lawnmower	Narrator	TV series (voice)
2008	Crooked Business	Pickaxe
2008	The Strip	Joe Tahore/Frogman	TV series
2008	Zombies! Zombies! Zombies!	One-Eyed Zombie
2008	Nim's Island	Helicopter Pilot
2007	McLeod's Daughters	Gabriel	TV series
2006	Solo	Vincent
2005/2006	All Saints	Michael Stevenson	TV series
2005	Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith	Captain Typho
2002	Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones	Captain Typho
2000–2003	Street Legal	David Silesi	TV series
2000	Green Sails	Maru	TV movie
1998	Tales of the South Seas	Unknown role	TV series
1998	The Violent Earth	Jean-Christian	TV miniseries (as Jay Laga'Aia)
1996–2001	Water Rats	Snr. Constable Tommy Tavita	TV series
1995/2000	Xena: Warrior Princess	Draco	TV series
1995	Mysterious Island	Tenape	TV series
1994	High Tide	Buck Walton	TV series
1993	Soldier Soldier	Sgt. Bob Gilligan	TV series
1992	The Other Side of Paradise	Mana	TV movie
1988	Never Say Die	Bruce (Cop)
1988	The Navigator: A Medieval Odyssey	Jay
1984–1986	Heroes	Ron Ualesi	TV series