Sigourney Weaver was "delighted" to join the Star Wars franchise but says Grogu was the whole reason she signed on for The Mandalorian & Grogu: "He's a little badass"

Sigourney Weaver in The Gorge — (Image credit: Apple TV Plus)

Sigourney Weaver says she never really thought about joining the Star Wars franchise, but when she was offered a role in the upcoming movie The Mandalorian & Grogu, there was one teeny tiny thing that made her sign on: Baby Yoda.

"I get to have scenes with a little Grogu which is probably why I did the movie," Weaver tells GamesRadar+. "And he's a little badass too. It's going to be wonderful for people to see what Grogu is up to now because he's grown up a little bit and is capable of much more than maybe we think just watching the series."

As Weaver did not appear in The Mandalorian series, we still don't know for sure who her character is, although it has been reported that Weaver is playing a New Republic Colonel Bishop in the film. When asked for more on her mysterious role, Weaver replies, "I play a wonderful character who is, you know, in a position of authority. And I have to send the Mandalorian out on a mission on the Outer Rim where all the bad stuff happens."

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With so much experience working on big sci-fi franchises like Alien and Avatar, it is surprising that Weaver didn't join the galaxy far, far away sooner. "I admire [Star Wars], but I don't sit around wishing I was in another franchise, because I've been so lucky to be in some wonderful ones," Weaver adds. "But at the time, when I was offered it, I was delighted. I'm a great fan of John Favreau. I was already a great fan of The Mandalorian."

But before Weaver makes her big Star Wars debut, the Ghostbusters actor stars in Scott Derrickson’s genre-bending horror slash romance movie The Gorge. The movie follows two highly-trained operatives (Miles Teller and Anya Taylor-Joy) as they are appointed to guard opposite watchtowers overlooking a misty and mysterious gorge, "protecting the world from an undisclosed, mysterious evil that lurks within," reads the synopsis from Apple TV Plus.

The Gorge premieres globally on Apple TV Plus on Friday, February 14, 2025. For more, check out our list of the best sci-fi movies, or keep up with upcoming Star Wars movies and shows heading your way.

I'm the Junior Social Media Editor here at GamesRadar+, handling all of Total Film's social platforms. However, I also write, covering all things film and TV for the site's entertainment section. I joined GamesRadar+ in 2023 and have been here ever since. I previously worked in communications after graduating with an MA in journalism. In my spare time, you can find me binging horror movies or getting lost in a cosy little game on my Switch.