In his first sit down Star Wars interview, Rupert Friend talks about bringing the fearsome villain to life.
“The key to hunting Jedi is patience.
Jedi cannot help what they are.
Rupert Friend as the Grand Inquisitor on ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’.Disney+
Their compassion leaves a trail.
The Jedi code is like an itch.
They cannot help it.”
Rupert Friend as the Grand Inquisitor in ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’.Matt Kennedy / Lucasfilm Ltd.
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mean, the first time somebody handed me my lightsaber, I nearly fainted.
And then standing next to Obi-Wan Kenobi himself is pretty amazing.
Rupert Friend as the Grand Inquisitor on ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’.Disney+
It’s a pinch-me moment.
He’s a pretty powerful member of the dark side.
He used to fight for the forces of good as a temple guard.
Is his Jedi background something he’s going to talk openly about using to hunt these Jedi down?
Talk a little bit about his techniques.
This guy’s obviously very effective at what he does.
How does he achieve his results?
Obviously, he’s the master of the Force.
But to me, it’s that economy of power that demonstrates a truly powerful figure.
There are plenty of lower minions who can do that.
He’s the one who’s trusting the Force, trusting his gut.
Tell me about the lightsaber.
It’s double ended, as you’ve seen in some of the early-release artwork.
So he can use it with one or both of the ends.
He can turn it into a whirling blade.
He can fly with it.
It’s pretty kick-ass.
What’s lightsaber training like?
Lightsaber training is amazing.
I mean, the stunt guys onStar Warsare the best in the world.
It’s not two guys brawling in a bar.
So there’s almost a balletic quality about it that I find very, very beautiful.
I want to talk about the look of the Grand Inquisitor because it’s clearly striking.
What was the makeup process like?
Is that a combination of makeup and prosthetics?
What’s going on there and how long did that take to get on you?
It was four hours a day.
And I’m sure it helps you just looking in the mirror, getting right into character.
And you have the suit, as well.
Tell me about the suit.
And how’d you like rocking a cape?!
Well, the cape was extraordinary.
All the armor together weighed about 45 pounds.
The cape itself is weighted with chains, basically so that it moves in a badass way.
And yeah, you feel pretty invincible with all that stuff on.
There are amazing neck fans that they’ve invented.
But you know, there was nowhere to really blow me because …
I guess my mouth and nose were my own, so they could keep those cool.
But you basically just sweat.
Tell me about the voice.
It’s so ominous in that first trailer.
So it was really something that I felt very instinctively when I read the script.
And I’m not giving anything away by saying we’re going to experience that in the show.
He has this very juicy way of enjoying himself.
And I just thought, what does the guy who enjoys the sound of his own voice sound like?
And that’s what we got.
What was it like working withMoses IngramandSung Kangon team Inquisitors?
Oh, it was great.
What a fearsome trio.
But I also loved how the three Inquisitors are so distinct.
Their weapons are different from each other.
Sung has that incredible kind of helmet thing.
And then Moses brought such an original take to her character.
So we were a happy, bad gang.
What is the Grand Inquisitor’s relationship like with Darth Vader?
So what’s their relationship like?
And I’d say [The Grand Inquisitor] is right there, I wouldn’t even say below.
In his mind, he’s on a par with Vader.
Obviously, Vader would probably kill him.
But I think it would be quite an interesting fight.
And I do think he respects the hierarchy and the order of command.
But I think if there were ever a slip-up, he would be waiting in the wings.
So I would be completely open to it.
I loved playing the part and would love to see what happened if he were to interact.
And obviously our period doesn’t cover that.
So if they decide to explore that, I would think that would be pretty thrilling.
