Ahmed Best addresses his Star Wars return: "Thank you to all that held me up"

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The Jar Jar Binks and Kelleran Beq actor shares an emotional social media post after their Mandalorian cameo

Ahmed Best in The Mandalorian
(Image credit: Disney/Lucasfilm)

Jar Jar Binks and Kelleran Beq actor Ahmed Best has shared a message with Star Wars fans after his cameo in the latest episode of The Mandalorian.

Spoilers for The Mandalorian season 3, episode 4 follow.

"Gratitude! Good to be back. There is so much to say and share. It’s going to take a couple of days. But, for now, I’ll just say thank you to all that have held me up and made me better," Best wrote on Instagram – accompanied by a gym selfie of the actor wearing a Jedi tee and a baseball cap that says "Episode 1." An interesting fashion combo to be sure, but a welcome one.

In case you’re still catching up, Ahmed Best played Jedi Master Kelleran Beq in an Order 66 flashback during ‘The Foundling.’ In it, it was revealed he rescued Grogu from the Jedi Temple and accompanied him off-planet.

Beq may be a familiar face to some. His first appearance was during the Jedi Temple Challenge, a Star Wars YouTube game show featuring Best donning the robes of a Jedi known as the ‘Sabered Hand.’ Best revealed in an interview with the Star Wars Show that he was heavily involved in crafting the character, right down to his purple lightsaber.

"They let me name the character and come up with a bunch of history, mannerisms, and choosing colors of lightsabers," he said back in 2021.

That wasn’t the only nice surprise for Mandalorian viewers in Chapter 20. Many were ecstatic over Grogu’s big ‘win’ during the episode’s opening act.

For more from the franchise, check out our complete rundown of new Star Wars movies and shows coming your way across 2023 and beyond.

Bradley Russell
Bradley Russell

I'm the Senior Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, focusing on news, features, and interviews with some of the biggest names in film and TV. On-site, you'll find me marveling at Marvel and providing analysis and room temperature takes on the newest films, Star Wars and, of course, anime. Outside of GR, I love getting lost in a good 100-hour JRPG, Warzone, and kicking back on the (virtual) field with Football Manager. My work has also been featured in OPM, FourFourTwo, and Game Revolution.