Insights From The ‘Star Wars: The Clone Wars’ Panel At Motor City Comic Con
Image Source: Wallpaperaccess.com
I recently had the opportunity to attend the Motor City Comic Con in Novi, Michigan. It was a great experience, and my children and I enjoyed ourselves. One of the highlights of the excursion was getting to see Ashley Eckstein, Matt Lanter, and James Arnold Taylor, the voices of Ahsoka Tano, Anakin Skywalker, and Obi-Wan Kenobi from The Clone Wars. Two of my boys were especially excited to see them. When the moderator asked for people with questions to line up in the center aisle, my youngest hopped right up and said that he had five questions to ask. I asked him if he wanted his oldest brother to stand with him in line. I got an indignant “No!” for an answer, and he was off.
I could barely see my child’s head over the seated audience members, but as he was right in the center aisle of the room, I knew he was safe, so I settled my attention on the questions being asked by the other attendees. These ranged from professional questions, such as: “How do you find a voice for a character?” Ashley’s advice for this was, “We were like Padawans coming from TV and film. If you have an idea for a character, go for it! Commit to the character. When you go over the top, that’s when you’ll get it.” James’s answer was to “study the voices; then you can have a chance to do your own!”. He also emphasized that it is important to actually like your own voice! Other questions were more general, asking the trio who their favorite Clone Troopers were. Ashley likes Omega from The Bad Batch, saying she reminds her of a young Ahsoka. James said it was 99, as his character shows what a great voice actor Dee Bradley Baker is. Matt’s is Rex.
RELATED:
Another guest asked the panel, “What is your favorite Star Wars story?” James, thinking of the character that he portrays, responds with the look Obi-Wan gives Luke when he lets Darth Vader cut him down in Episode IV: A New Hope. Matt also stuck with his character Anakin in answering the question, saying that it was the fight on Mustafar from Episode III: Revenge of the Sith when Anakin was burning up, knowing what kind of hero he could have been. Ashley took a different route in answering the question and said her favorite Star Wars story would be from R2-D2’s point of view because, in all the movies, he’s the one around to save everyone. At this point, Matt interjected, “It could’ve ended with the trash compactor!”
When someone else asked about the trio’s least favorite part of Star Wars, Ashley quickly stepped up and explained that after working with Dave Filoni, “Once you get that kind of explanation and education, you get a new appreciation.” She went on to explain that some people who were cast in The Clone Wars came in with an attitude about the prequels, but attitudes were changed once Filoni explained his vision.
Image Source: CultureSlate
Looking specifically into their characters and their work on The Clone Wars, Ashley said that she felt it was a responsibility and an honor. She said they “won the lottery when they were cast,” and it was a responsibility to carry on the Star Wars legacy, as “you become an ambassador and a champion, and we take that seriously.” Matt explained that Dave and George [Lucas] wanted Anakin’s character to expand in The Clone Wars and that he could add to the character. He went on to say that Dave told him to do a “Han and Luke mashup” to round out Anakin’s character. James said that he had done Obi-Wan’s voice now for over 21 years. Not only has he doubled Ewan McGregor’s voice for Obi-Wan Kenobi, but he has doubled McGregor’s voice for other projects, such as Moulin Rouge, so he has experience with this. The actors expanded on what were their favorite traits of their characters as well. Matt appreciated that Anakin always broke the rules. Ashley liked that Ahsoka always found “light and hope in the darkest of times.” James said that his favorite part about Obi-Wan is that he is a “true believer. He is tragic, he loses everything, but he keeps his faith in the Force”.
Interestingly, the responses that the actors gave about their characters offered insight into their personalities and lives as well. Ashley was asked specifically which Ahsoka moment meant the most to her. Ashley responded by giving an Ahsoka quote: “In my life, when you find people who need your help, you help them. That’s just my life.” Ashley went on to say that this quote was from 2019, just before Covid arrived. Once that happened, everyone made it through by helping each other. She also said that Dave Filoni told her, “Kindness is powerful. Do not underestimate the power of kindness”. This gave Ashley a deeper perspective of Ahsoka and how to play her character and make it through the tough time the whole world was going through. Even when asked what their favorite type of sandwiches were, personal information came out. James Arnold Taylor revealed that his favorite sandwich used to be peanut butter and mayonnaise - “have that on Wonder Bread, and really go into a coma!” but, due to black mold poisoning that he suffered, he had to change his diet and be careful what he eats. While talking about this, he acknowledged his strong faith helping him through, which was very inspirational (and also very reminiscent of how he had described Obi-Wan). And, in case you were wondering, Ashley’s favorite sandwich is peanut butter and jelly “but with Cheetos in it”! Matt smiled slyly and asked, “Is it wrong if I go for s’mores with burnt marshmallows?” to great laughter from the crowd.
Ashley and Matt were also able to talk about their time voicing their characters together on Star Wars Rebels when an audience member asked about their feelings about the fight on Malachor. Ashley said that when Ahsoka said goodbye to Anakin in The Clone Wars, she was truly saying goodbye to Matt. They did not know they would work together again. It was a happy surprise when they were called in for that episode of Rebels. Another surprise in that episode was Matt getting to work with James Earl Jones “to bring Vader to life.” Matt admitted that it felt “odd” to say those lines to Ahsoka - he had always done Anakin’s character, not Vader’s. He and James Earl Jones worked together to bring out the opposing forces in Anakin/Darth Vader in that scene. He did say that it was open to interpretation the way Anakin/Vader said his last lines to Ahsoka: was he trying to bring Ahsoka in?
Image Source: CultureSlate
Finally, it was my son’s turn to ask his questions. My eldest and I looked at each other, wondering what the five questions were going to be. My little one beamed at the panel, the microphone just over his head. Matt Lanter said, “Wow, I didn’t see you there!” James Arnold Taylor put on his best Obi-Wan voice and greeted him with, “Hello there, youngling.” Ashley very sweetly asked him what his question was as the moderator hurried to take the mike off the stand and let him hold it. My son smiled sweetly and informed the actors that he thought the saddest moment of The Clone Wars was when Ahsoka left the Jedi Order. Ashley agreed with him and said that was her saddest moment, too. She let us all know that she sobbed over that episode and asked my son if he cried too. To which he replied, “No. I just wanted to tell you that”. The moderator gently asked if he had any questions, as she had just said that there was time for one more question. He told the moderator, “No,” as well, and made his way back to our seats and said that he wanted to go.
The Clone Wars panel was a highlight of Motor City Comic Con. The actors were gracious and treated everyone’s questions seriously and with tact. You can tell that even though The Clone Wars has been wrapped up for quite some time, the trio still donors their characters and their place in the Star Wars legacy.
READ NEXT:
Latest News
Featured
