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.[2]
Witwer was a friend of LucasArts sound director David W. Collins and wished to compete for the role. His audition included a scene where Marek/The Apprentice was assembling a lightsaber through telekinesis in a meditation chamber. Witwer employed his knowledge of Star Wars lore and Marek's backstory to portray the scene, as a character whose real challenge was not fighting, but finding peace in himself to concentrate, and contorted his features accordingly, as if struggling to remember something. Witwer filled the role within the initial auditions.[3]
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.[4] Witwer also voiced Palpatine in Star Wars: The Force Unleashed,[5] and gave his voice and likeness to the imperfect genetic replicas and the Dark Apprentice in Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II.[4]
Afterwards, Witwer appeared on the Star Wars: The Clone Wars television series as the voices of the Son[6] and Maul.[7]
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.[8]
Witwer voiced various characters in Star Wars: Episode VII The Force Awakens, including several stormtroopers, an announcer and a First Order officer.[9]
Witwer expressed an interest in being in the live-action TV series, presumably reprising his role as Galen Marek.[10]
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.[11][12]
Works[]
Gameography[]
Filmography[]
| Year | Title | Series | Contribution(s) | Note(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | "Overlords" | Star Wars: The Clone Wars | The Son[6] | |
| 2011 | "Altar of Mortis" | Star Wars: The Clone Wars | The Son, Anakin Skywalker (uncredited), Dark Side Creature (uncredited), Ahsoka Tano (uncredited)[26] | |
| 2011 | "Ghosts of Mortis" | Star Wars: The Clone Wars | The Son[27] | |
| 2012 | "Brothers" | Star Wars: The Clone Wars | Maul[7] | |
| 2012 | "Revenge" | Star Wars: The Clone Wars | Maul, Weequay Bounty Hunter, Alien[28] | |
| 2012 | "Revival" | Star Wars: The Clone Wars | Maul[29] | |
| 2013 | "Eminence" | Star Wars: The Clone Wars | Maul[30] | |
| 2013 | "Shades of Reason" | Star Wars: The Clone Wars | Maul[31] | |
| 2013 | "The Lawless" | Star Wars: The Clone Wars | Maul, Mandalorian Super Commando[32] | |
| 2015 | Star Wars: Episode VII The Force Awakens | Additional Voices[9] | ||
| 2016 | Star Wars Rebels: The Siege of Lothal | Star Wars Rebels | Emperor (originally), W1-LE, Imperial Technician[8] | |
| 2016 | "Twilight of the Apprentice" | Star Wars Rebels | Maul[33] | |
| 2016 | "The Holocrons of Fate" | Star Wars Rebels | Maul[34] | |
| 2016 | Rogue One: Recon A Star Wars 360 Experience | Scout Two[35] | ||
| 2016 | "Visions and Voices" | Star Wars Rebels | Maul[36] | |
| 2016 | Rogue One: A Star Wars Story | Additional Voices[37] | ||
| 2017 | "Twin Suns" | Star Wars Rebels | Maul[38] | |
| 2018 | "DUME" | Star Wars Rebels | Biker Scout #2, Imperial Officer #1, Imperial Technician[39] | |
| 2018 | "A World Between Worlds" | Star Wars Rebels | The Son[40] | |
| 2018 | Solo: A Star Wars Story | Maul[41] | ||
| 2018 | "The Recruit" | Star Wars Resistance | Hugh Sion[42] | |
| 2019 | Star Wars: Episode IX The Rise of Skywalker | Additional voices[43] | ||
| 2020 | "Rebuilding the Resistance" | Star Wars Resistance | Hugh Sion, Shuttle Pilot[44] | |
| 2020 | "The Escape" | Star Wars Resistance | Hugh Sion[45] | |
| 2020 | "Together Again" | Star Wars: The Clone Wars | Maul[46] | |
| 2020 | "Old Friends Not Forgotten" | Star Wars: The Clone Wars | Maul[47] | |
| 2020 | "The Phantom Apprentice" | Star Wars: The Clone Wars | Maul, Mandalorian Guard[48] | |
| 2020 | "Shattered" | Star Wars: The Clone Wars | Maul[49] | |
| 2020 | "Victory and Death" | Star Wars: The Clone Wars | Maul[50] | |
| 2020 | "Episode 1" | Star Wars: Jedi Temple Challenge | Dark Side voice[51] | |
| 2020 | "Episode 2" | Star Wars: Jedi Temple Challenge | Dark Side voice[52] | |
| 2020 | "Episode 3" | Star Wars: Jedi Temple Challenge | Dark Side voice[53] | |
| 2020 | "Episode 4" | Star Wars: Jedi Temple Challenge | Dark Side voice[54] | |
| 2020 | "Episode 5" | Star Wars: Jedi Temple Challenge | Dark Side voice[55] | |
| 2020 | "Episode 6" | Star Wars: Jedi Temple Challenge | Dark Side voice[56] | |
| 2020 | "Episode 7" | Star Wars: Jedi Temple Challenge | Dark Side voice[57] | |
| 2020 | "Episode 8" | Star Wars: Jedi Temple Challenge | Dark Side voice[58] | |
| 2020 | "Episode 9" | Star Wars: Jedi Temple Challenge | Dark Side voice[59] | |
| 2020 | "Episode 10" | Star Wars: Jedi Temple Challenge | Dark Side voice[60] | |
| 2021 | LEGO Star Wars Terrifying Tales | Maul, Trudgen[61] | ||
| 2021 | "Chapter 1: Stranger in a Strange Land" | Star Wars: The Book of Boba Fett | Rodian Prisoner | Uncredited[62] |
| 2022 | "Chapter 4: The Gathering Storm" | The Book of Boba Fett | Sous-chef droid | Uncredited[63] |
| 2022 | "Announcement" | Star Wars: Andor | Shoretrooper | Uncredited[64][65] |
| 2023 | "Part One: Master and Apprentice" | Star Wars: Ahsoka | Additional Voices[66] | |
| 2023 | "Part Two: Toil and Trouble" | Ahsoka | Additional Voices[67] |
Other Works[]
| Year | Title | Contribution(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Star Wars: Smuggler's Gambit | Ro Kurota[68] | Fanon audio drama |
| 2012 | Brisk Tea Commercial | Darth Maul[69] | Commercial |
Discography[]
| Year | Title | Contribution(s) | Continuity | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Solo: A Star Wars Story Read-Along Storybook and CD | Maul[70] | Canon | Voice clips from Solo: A Star Wars Story |
| 2020 | "Dark Vengeance" | Narrator[71] | Canon | Published in The Clone Wars: Stories of Light and Dark audiobook |
| 2020 | "Hunger" | Narrator[72] | Canon | Published in From a Certain Point of View: The Empire Strikes Back audiobook |
| 2020 | "The Truest Duty" | Narrator[73] | Canon | Published in From a Certain Point of View: The Empire Strikes Back audiobook |
| 2020 | "Disturbance" | Narrator[74] | Canon | Published in From a Certain Point of View: The Empire Strikes Back audiobook |
| 2022 | "The Ghosts of Maul" | Narrator[75] | Canon | Published in Stories of Jedi and Sith audiobook |
| 2022 | Darth Maul: Shadow Hunter | Narrator[76] | Legends | Part of The Essential Legends Collection |
| 2023 | "Then Fall, Sidious" | Narrator[77] | Canon | Published in From a Certain Point of View: Return of the Jedi audiobook |
Sources[]
Meet the Stars of Star Wars: The Force Unleashed on StarWars.com (original site is defunct)- ""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! The Voice of Maul" — 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) (original link is obsolete)
- D23 2024: New Official Trailer for LEGO Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy Revealed on StarWars.com (backup link)
- Behind the Bricks: Our Favorite Easter Eggs from LEGO Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy on StarWars.com (backup link)
- "Diana Lee Inosanto" — Star Wars Insider 228
- Celebrity Guests Confirmed for Star Wars Celebration Japan 2025 - Updated on StarWars.com (backup link)
- This Week! in Star Wars Dispatch: Ahsoka is Heading to Star Wars Celebration Japan 2025 on the official Star Wars YouTube channel (backup link)
- Plan Ahead with the Star Wars Celebration Japan 2025 Panel Schedule on StarWars.com (backup link)
- In Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord, the Former Sith Returns on StarWars.com (backup link)
- Light & Magic Season 2 Unveiled at Star Wars Celebration Japan on StarWars.com (backup link)
- Sam Witwer and Athena Portillo | Star Wars Celebration LIVE! 2025 on the official Star Wars YouTube channel (backup link)
- Star Wars Celebration Japan 2025: All the News You Need on StarWars.com (backup link)
Notes and references[]
External links[]
- Sam Witwer (@samwitwer) on Twitter (backup link)
- Sam Witwer on Wikipedia
- Sam Witwer at the Internet Movie Database
- Samuel Witwer at the Battlestar Wiki
