When it comes to “The Foundling,” Weathers found himself with a unique opportunity to give “Star Wars” fans a welcome gift. The episode features a flashback to Order 66 and shows us how Grogu was saved from the slaughter of the Jedi by none other than Kelleran Beq, played by Ahmed Best — the actor best known for portraying Jar Jar Binks in the prequel trilogy. It provided Best with one heck of a redemption arc and the show with one of its most impressive action sequences to date.
In that same interview, Weathers discussed directing that episode and the opportunity to revisit this important moment in the history of the franchise. In talking about this, he also touched a bit more on his philosophy as a filmmaker, which is all about allowing actors the space to deliver a great performance:
“For me, it was fantastic. It encompassed both a part of the lore of ‘Star Wars’ and a segment that many fans wanted to learn more about, and I had a great combination of both dramatic and action sequences to play with. I had the great honor of having Ahmed Best return to the ‘Star Wars’ universe, creating a moment that people really loved — seeing him and Grogu together, that was perfect. I love what Ahmed brought to it, it was a great example of how you offer the opportunity to give a great performance and you can have success.”
For many viewers, the show’s third season was a bit of a mixed bag overall. But Weathers delivered one of the biggest crowd-pleasing moments and saved the day from behind the camera as a director, rather than in front of it as one of Mando’s most trusted allies.
“The Mandalorian” is currently streaming on Disney+.