Sigourney Weaver recently took center stage at the *The Mandalorian & Grogu* panel during Star Wars Celebration 2025, offering fans a rare glimpse into her upcoming role in the highly anticipated film. In an exclusive interview with IGN, she opened up about how she joined the project, revealing that she hadn’t seen a single episode of *The Mandalorian* before being cast and how the adorable Grogu completely won her over during filming.
Scheduled for theatrical release on **May 22, 2026**, *The Mandalorian & Grogu* continues to build excitement among Star Wars fans worldwide. This insightful conversation with Weaver gives us a taste of what’s to come and introduces one of the newest characters joining this iconic galaxy far, far away.
IGN: Sigourney, thank you so much for joining us! We were thrilled to see your character in The Mandalorian & Grogu panel, and it looks like she was maybe wearing a Rebel pilot uniform? What can you tell us about your character at this point?
Sigourney Weaver: Yes, she was definitely wearing a Rebel pilot uniform when we first saw her. That look really helped shape the character. She is a skilled pilot actively involved in protecting the New Republic. Given her location in the Outer Rim—where remnants of the Empire still linger—she finds herself relying on allies like the Mandalorian and his loyal companion.
IGN: We heard that your love of Grogu was one of the reasons you decided to take on this role, so what was it like to actually work with him?
Weaver: Grogu is such a mischievous little guy—I think everyone expected that. Every scene with Grogu had multiple puppeteers working behind the scenes, each responsible for a different movement or expression. But honestly, all I could ever see was Grogu himself. He's so expressive and full of life, it's hard not to believe he's real.
IGN: You’ve worked with a lot of different kinds of aliens in your career, from Xenomorphs to Na’vi. What was it like working with those compared to Grogu?
Weaver: Oh, Grogu is by far the cutest. If Xenomorphs are somewhere over here on the scale and Slimer is a bit further down, Grogu is way off the chart in terms of pure cuteness. It's almost like the Japanese concept of Kawaii!
IGN: So, you mentioned in the panel that you hadn't seen *The Mandalorian* before starting on this project. That means I have to ask—what was it like finally watching all those episodes?
Weaver: I feel incredibly fortunate because Jon Favreau never pressured me to catch up. I was just excited to be part of a Star Wars project with him. From the very first episode I watched, I realized what a brilliant concept it was—a modern Western with unexpected twists. I found it absolutely charming and a perfect way for me to reconnect with the Star Wars universe, which can sometimes be a bit overwhelming with all its branches.
Watching the series unfold was a joy. Din Djarin and Grogu are such compelling characters, and even the antagonists like Werner Herzog brought something unique to the table. I kept wondering, “What was he going to do to that little creature?!” and I didn’t even want to imagine the possibilities.
IGN: Love it. Now, looking forward—you're certainly in the footage we saw this morning. We saw you sharing a scene with Grogu where he used his Force powers to try to steal… was it a dish of food?
Weaver: Exactly—it was a small bowl of snacks that belonged to me. He was doing his little Force gestures trying to pull it toward him, but I managed to keep it safe. I had to put my foot down!
IGN: Speaking of which, do you get to see Grogu use his Force powers in all their glory in this movie?
Weaver: Oh, yes—he’s always up to something. When I’m with him, especially back at the home base, I get to see his more relaxed side. But I also noticed how he’s growing—evolving from a curious learner into someone with real Force abilities. Now he’s officially an apprentice, and I could clearly see how far he’s come since the earlier episodes.
This evolution shows that there's a way for anyone to re-enter the Star Wars universe and find something new and exciting. It’s a universe that keeps expanding in every direction, which is truly incredible.
IGN: I'm still very interested in how you came to this project and your experience with Star Wars overall, dating back to the original film. Based on everything we've seen so far, do you have a favorite movie in the series?
Weaver: Definitely *Rogue One*. I really connected with Felicity Jones’ character, and I’m glad that was the one I saw first because I feel like my generation belongs to The Rebellion. I had seen some of the other films long ago, but revisiting them felt like reconnecting with my childhood. As I said before, Star Wars offers a doorway for everyone, and it keeps opening new paths. It’s pretty amazing.
IGN: Final question. Who is the most powerful being in the universe? Grogu or a Xenomorph?
Weaver: Well, as much as I adore Grogu, I have to go with the Xenomorph.
IGN: Why do you think that is?
Weaver: Because they’re unstoppable. They’re driven to conquer and destroy, and they excel at spreading their kind. While I know Yoda—and by extension Grogu—is wise and inherently good, the Xenomorphs don’t hold back. They’re ruthless and relentless.
IGN: And Grogu’s just too cute to be all that threatening, right?
Weaver: Well, if he had stayed with Werner Herzog—who knows what he might have become?
