Martin Scorsese and Star Wars seemingly go together as well as water and oil. Yet, in the newest trailer for Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu, the greatest American director’s distinct, fast-paced vocal tone can be heard in a brief but hilarious cameo that adds to his comedic acting resume.
While it’s unclear how big a role Scorsese will have in the upcoming film, his character adds to his animated vocal work as Sykes in A Shark Tale and Club Oscar. He also made a handful of comedic appearances as himself in several movies and TV shows. The real question is what lured the all-time great filmmaker to enter a galaxy far, far away, and who exactly his character will be in The Mandalorian and Grogu, which is a highly anticipated release coming in May 2026.
Who Does Martin Scorsese Play in ‘The Mandalorian and Grogu’?
In the most recent trailer released for Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu, Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and his mentor are recruited by the New Republic after the fall of the Galactic Empire. Dispatched to travel and locate Rotta the Hutt (Oscar-nominee Jeremy Allen White), Din Djarin arrives at a busy metropolis and begins his search. About 20 seconds into the trailer, Din Djarin stops at a food stall and states, “I need some information.”
Standing across from Din Djarin is a simian-like, four-armed Ardennian fry cook with bushy gray eyebrows who speaks in a frantic, rat-a-tat-tat vernacular that many will recognize as the voice of Martin Scorsese. “For this price, I’ll tell you whatever you want,” says the cook. Din Djarin quickly answers, “I’m looking for a Hutt.”
Before he can finish, the cook changes his tune and says, “Closed for the night. Thank you,” and quickly shuts the blinds on the food stall. While Scorsese nails the line and has excellent comedic timing, the implication is that the cook wants no part of getting involved with the dangerous Rotta the Hutt.
Originating from the planet Ardennia, the unnamed food vendor derives from the same extraterrestrial species as Rio Durant, the pilot who appeared in Star Wars: A Solo Story. Known for thinking quickly and spreading gossip, Scorsese is the perfect person to accentuate the Ardennian speech pattern.
Beyond being right for the role, Scorsese brings experience playing animated characters in movies like A Shark Tale and the short spin-off Club Oscar, in which he played a mafia enforcer named Sykes. Of course, Scorsese has also poked fun at his own image by portraying himself to comedic effect in everything from The Studio and Curb Your Enthusiasm to Entourage and 30 Rock.
But why Star Wars? Remember, it wasn’t that long ago that Scorsese caught some flak for saying that comic book movies aren’t real cinema. While it’s true that Star Wars isn’t a comic book movie per se, it’s one step removed from the CGI-heavy blockbusters that rely on big-budget spectacle.
The answer may lie in The Mandalorian and Grogu‘s director, Jon Favreau. Scorsese and Favreau have had a personal relationship dating back to at least 2004, when Favreau hosted Scorsese on his chat show Dinner for Five. A decade later, Scorsese cast Favreau as Manny Rifkin in The Wolf of Wall Street. Now, it seems Favreau is repaying the favor by adding Scorsese’s deft comedic timing to The Mandalorian and Grogu.
Regardless of how and why, Scorsese seems to be having a blast as the four-armed Ardennian chef and food stall operator in the latest chapter in the Star Wars saga.
This story originally appeared on Movieweb
