Ahsoka star Claudia Black recently revealed that she won't be returning in the second season and explained Disney's decision that led to her exit.
Following the success of the first season, production was finally underway for the show's sophomore season this year in London, with the majority of the cast returning. While the plot details are still under wraps, fans are hoping that it will be able to deliver another epic adventure with the fan-favorite characters.
Unfortunately, it looks like one of the cast members won't be able to reprise their role when the series returns.
Why Claudia Black Will Not Return in Ahsoka Season 2
Speaking recently with Bleeding Cool, Claudia Black, who played Nightsister Klothow in the first season, confirmed that she won't be reprising the role in Ahsoka season 2.
She explained that her exit was related to a pay dispute with Disney when the show moved its production location to London.
"Well, I’m going to be transparent. They picked up Season 2, picked me up with it, and then Disney, which is structuring things differently these days, could not pay me what I needed to be paid as a single mother to keep all my responsibilities going at home in Los Angeles, because they were filming in London. It was not something that they could make happen, and therefore, I had to bow out for Season 2," she said.
Black added that the decision "was very sad for me" and shared that she "sent an email to Dave Filoni thanking him, and I said, ‘What a ride!’ Everyone like me who grew up in the 70s and 80s has always been into the Star Wars universe, and it’s a very playful environment to work in."
While she was disappointed that she wasn't able to return in the second season, she still had positive remarks about her experience working in the first season.
"[The set was] fun, playful space to be in. It’s fun to do something that was relatable to my younger son, who was passionate about The Clone Wars, which was the new iteration for his generation," the actress said.
Black also emphasized the difficulties of show business today. She noted, "They could not, sadly, support a single mom, and I’m very sad about that, but I also understand market forces being what they are, and the very delicate time in the business to even be able to afford to make anything at all. We all had to do our sums and move on."
What to Expect in Ahsoka Season 2
So far, the plot details regarding the second season of Ahsoka are still under wraps. Just like the first season, it is expected to consist of eight episodes.
The confirmed returning cast members from the first season are Rosario Dawson (Ahsoka Tano), Natasha Liu Bordizzo (Sabine Wren), Mary Elizabeth Winstead (Hera Syndulla), Ivanna Sakhno (Shin Hati), Eman Esfandi (Ezra Bridger), Hayden Christensen (Anakin Skywalker), and Lars Mikkelsen (Grand Admiral Thrawn).
Rory McCann is taking over the role of Baylan Skoll from Ray Stevenson, who passed away before the first season aired.
So far, there is no release date set yet for the airing of the second season on Disney+, but it will likely premiere sometime in 2026.
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