Samuel Stewart "Sam" Witwer (born October 20, 1977[1]) is an American actor.
Biography[]
When Amy Beth Christenson's original concept art of Galen Marek looked strikingly like Sam Witwer, the vice president at the time noted the resemblance due to recognizing Witwer from Battlestar Galactica, so he was contacted to audition. From there, he became the complete basis for the main character's voice and appearance in Star Wars: The Force Unleashed. His likeness was created through motion capture for the game to build the character's appearance and range of facial expressions. Witwer's performance was recorded on HD cameras (as were all the actors who worked on the game). While the game was in production, Witwer only knew his character as "Starkiller."[2] Witwer also voiced Galen Marek (known only as "The Apprentice") in Soulcalibur IV. Witwer returned to play Starkiller in the sequel Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II. For this character, he served in the same capacity as before by providing his voice and likeness to the main character.[3] Witwer also voiced Palpatine in Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, and gave his voice and likeness to the imperfect genetic replicas and the Dark Apprentice in Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II.[3]
Afterwards, Witwer appeared on the Star Wars: The Clone Wars television series as the voices of the Son and Maul.
Witwer took over voicing Palpatine from Tim Curry for the second season of Star Wars Rebels along with voicing W1-LE and an Imperial Technician.
He voiced Maul in the season 2 finale of Rebels, and a few episodes for the third season.
He returned in the fourth season where he voiced the Son, an Imperial Officer, an Imperial Technician, and a Scout trooper.
Witwer voiced various characters in Star Wars: Episode VII The Force Awakens, including several stormtroopers, an announcer and a First Order officer.[4]
Witwer also provided additional voices in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.
Witwer voiced the characters of Darth Maul and Emperor Palpatine in the game Star Wars Battlefront II.
Witwer provided the voice for Maul in Solo: A Star Wars Story.
Witwer voiced the New Republic fighter pilot Hugh Sion for the premiere episode of Star Wars Resistance.
Witwer provided additional voices in Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order.
Witwer expressed an interest in being in the live-action TV series, presumably reprising his role as Galen Marek.[5]
On May 27, 2020, it was announced on StarWars.com and The Star Wars Show that Witwer would be portraying the voice of the dark side in the web game series Star Wars: Jedi Temple Challenge.[6][7]
In addition to his work in Star Wars, he frequently competes in Star Wars trivia competitions.
Works[]
Discography[]
Year | Title | Contribution(s) | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2018 | Solo: A Star Wars Story Read-Along Storybook and CD | Maul | Voice clips from Solo: A Star Wars Story[8] |
2020 | "Dark Vengeance: The True Story of Darth Maul and His Revenge Against the Jedi Known as Obi-Wan Kenobi" | Narrator | Published in The Clone Wars: Stories of Light and Dark audiobook[9] |
2020 | "Hunger" | Narrator | Published in From a Certain Point of View: The Empire Strikes Back audiobook[10] |
2020 | "The Truest Duty" | Narrator | Published in From a Certain Point of View: The Empire Strikes Back audiobook[11] |
2020 | "Disturbance" | Narrator | Published in From a Certain Point of View: The Empire Strikes Back audiobook[12] |
2022 | "The Ghosts of Maul" | Narrator | Published in Stories of Jedi and Sith audiobook[13] |
2022 | Darth Maul: Shadow Hunter | Narrator | The Essential Legends Collection[14] |
Filmography[]
Year | Title | Series | Contribution(s) | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
2018 | "The Recruit" | Star Wars Resistance | Hugh Sion[15] | |
2021 | "Chapter 1: Stranger in a Strange Land" | The Book of Boba Fett | Rodian Prisoner | Voice only, uncredited[16] |
2022 | "Chapter 4: The Gathering Storm" | The Book of Boba Fett | Sous-chef droid | Uncredited[17] |
2022 | "Announcement" | Andor | Shoretrooper | Voice only, uncredited[18] |
2023 | "Part One: Master and Apprentice" | Ahsoka | Additional Voices[19] | |
2023 | "Part Two: Toil and Trouble" | Ahsoka | Additional Voices[20] |
Gameography[]
Year | Title | Contribution(s) |
---|---|---|
2008 | Star Wars: The Force Unleashed | Galen Marek, Emperor Palpatine[21] |
2008 | Soulcalibur IV | Starkiller[22] |
2010 | Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II | Starkiller, Aberrant Clones[23] |
2012 | Kinect Star Wars | Emperor Palpatine[24] |
2022 | LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga | Darth Maul, Darth Sidious[25] |
Sources[]
- Meet the Stars of Star Wars: The Force Unleashed on StarWars.com (content now obsolete; backup link)
- ""You're Hired" to be Darth Vader's Secret Apprentice!" — Star Wars Insider 97
- "Striking Back!" — Star Wars Insider 118
- "Back From the Depths!" — Star Wars Insider 132
- Star Wars Insider: Sam Witwer as Darth Maul on StarWars.com (backup link)
- Star Wars Rebels and More at San Diego Comic-Con 2014 – Updated! on StarWars.com (backup link)
- Star Wars in 100 Scenes
- From "Blast that X-Wing!" to "Traitor!": The voices of Star Wars: The Force Awakens on StarWars.com (backup link)
- "Zabrak Again!" — Star Wars Insider 168
- "It Was Our Responsibility to Make a Character with Intellect and a Heart": Sam Witwer on the Rise and Fall of Darth Maul on StarWars.com (backup link)
- The Star Wars Show: Sam Witwer on Voicing Maul and Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge News! on the official Star Wars YouTube channel (backup link)
- Star Wars: Jedi Temple Challenge Challenge to Debut June 3 on Star Wars Kids on StarWars.com (backup link)
- Star Wars: The Clone Wars – Stories of Light and Dark Audiobook Cast Revealed – Exclusive on StarWars.com (backup link)
- Empire at 40 | From a Certain Point of View: The Empire Strikes Back Audiobook Cast Revealed – Exclusive on StarWars.com (backup link)
- "Sam Witwer Unleashed" — Star Wars Insider 199
- As Star Wars: The Force Unleashed Comes to Nintendo Switch, Sam Witwer Looks Back on StarWars.com (backup link)
- This Week! in Star Wars The Obi-Wan Cast Chat About Obi-Wan, Reva's Intentions Are Revealed, and More! on the official Star Wars YouTube channel (backup link)
- Bucket's List: "Rebuilding the Resistance" – Star Wars Resistance on the official Star Wars Kids YouTube channel (January 20, 2020) (content now obsolete; backup link)
Notes and references[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 This Week! in Star Wars The Mandalorian Season Two Hype, Tales from the Galaxy's Edge Action, and More! on the official Star Wars YouTube channel (backup link)
- ↑ SWU Interviews Sam Witwer on www.theforce.net (June 15, 2009) (archived from the original on January 2, 2016)
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II
- ↑ From "Blast that X-Wing!" to "Traitor!": The voices of Star Wars: The Force Awakens on StarWars.com (backup link)
- ↑ Up Close: Sam Witwer by Livingston, Andy on www.wizarduniverse.com (December 4, 2007) (archived from the original on December 7, 2007)
- ↑ Star Wars: Jedi Temple Challenge Challenge to Debut June 3 on Star Wars Kids on StarWars.com (backup link)
- ↑ The Force Is Strong With This Epic 'Star Wars: Jedi Temple Challenge' Trailer by Allie Gemmill on collider.com (May 27, 2020) (archived from the original on May 27, 2020)
- ↑ Solo: A Star Wars Story Read-Along Storybook and CD
- ↑ *"Dark Vengeance: The True Story of Darth Maul and His Revenge Against the Jedi Known as Obi-Wan Kenobi" — The Clone Wars: Stories of Light and Dark audiobook
- ↑ "Hunger" — From a Certain Point of View: The Empire Strikes Back audiobook
- ↑ "The Truest Duty" — From a Certain Point of View: The Empire Strikes Back audiobook
- ↑ "Disturbance" — From a Certain Point of View: The Empire Strikes Back audiobook
- ↑ "The Ghosts of Maul" — Stories of Jedi and Sith audiobook
- ↑ Shadow Hunter: Star Wars Legends (Darth Maul) on Penguin Random House's official website (backup link)
- ↑ Star Wars Resistance — "The Recruit"
- ↑ The Book of Boba Fett — "Chapter 1: Stranger in a Strange Land"
- ↑ The Book of Boba Fett — "Chapter 4: The Gathering Storm"
- ↑ Andor — "Announcement"
- ↑ Ahsoka — "Part One: Master and Apprentice"
- ↑ Ahsoka — "Part Two: Toil and Trouble"
- ↑ Star Wars: The Force Unleashed
- ↑ Soulcalibur IV
- ↑ Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II
- ↑ Kinect Star Wars
- ↑ LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga
External links[]
- Sam Witwer (@samwitwer) on Twitter
- Sam Witwer on Wikipedia
- Sam Witwer at the Internet Movie Database
- Samuel Witwer at the Battlestar Wiki
- Sam Witwer Fan Site