The Mandalorian: 14 Crazy Behind-the-Scenes Facts

The Mandalorian isn’t just one of the best things to happen to Star Wars – it’s also full of wild, behind-the-scenes stories. From Baby Yoda secrets to Pedro Pascal mix-ups, here are some crazy facts about The Mandalorian you probably never knew…

1. Pedro Pascal Thought He’d Play Boba Fett

Pascal initially thought his role was Boba Fett during early discussions – but was instead cast as an entirely new Mandalorian character.

2. Baby Yoda Is Mostly a Puppet

Grogu (Baby Yoda) is not just CGI – his realistic presence comes from an animatronic puppet, controlled by up to five puppeteers, with CGI only used sparingly.

Director Werner Herzog appeared so moved by the Grogu puppet that he asked the crew not to switch to CGI, admitting the lifelike presence even made him cry.

3. A cosplaying group saved the day

When filming needed stormtroopers but ran short, the production called in the 501st Legion—a fan-based costuming group – to fill the ranks on set.

4. Ahsoka Came to Life via Twitter Suggestion

Rosario Dawson was cast as Ahsoka Tano partly thanks to a fan tweet that reached showrunner Dave Filoni. He then ensured her live-action look – including makeup and headdress – faithfully mirrored the beloved animated version.

5. Props Repurposed from LOTR

Director Taika Waititi used leftover Lord of the Rings props and creatures early in production, creatively recycling of WETA Workshop materials.

6. Kuiil’s Face Is Animatronic Magic

Kuiil was brought to life using a complex animatronic mask controlled by three hidden puppeteers, with wires and electronics cleverly concealed in his costume.

7. George Lucas Visited on Favreau’s Birthday

George Lucas unexpectedly showed up on set during Season 1 to celebrate Jon Favreau’s birthday and observe production in action.

8. Armorer’s Voice Was Inspired by LOTR

Swallow’s voice for the Armorer includes hints of British and Mid-Atlantic accents and was influenced by characters from The Lord of the Rings.

9. “Underworld”: The Original Title

The Mandalorian’s earliest working title was Star Wars: Underworld, a much grittier concept exploring Han Solo-era stories.

10. Over 50 Scripts Before It Was Made

Before The Mandalorian, there were more than 50 scripts written for a live-action Star Wars TV series, with plans initially for a sprawling 100-episode saga.

11. $13M Per Episode Budget

At roughly $100 million for Season 1, the show cost about $13 million per episode, placing it among TV’s most expensive productions.

12. Baby Yoda Merch Delayed to Keep It Secret

Disney delayed Grogu merchandise releases to avoid spoiling his reveal, but fan demand forced them to launch products earlier than planned.

13. Pascal’s Favorite Set Day Was Unexpected

Pedro Pascal’s most memorable day on set wasn’t about Grogu – it was shooting in the gritty, graffiti-laden industrial cityscape in Chapter 9 (“The Marshal”). He likened the immersive set to a “Blade Runner” world, praising its realism.

14. StageCraft Revolutionized Filming

The Mandalorian pioneered a cutting-edge virtual production system, StageCraft, using massive LED screens to render environments in real-time around actors.

And that’s just scratching the surface – The Mandalorian is packed with insane trivia that makes watching it even better!