We’d all jump at the chance to appear in Star Wars in any capacity and that’s exactly what actor Zach Braff did when he was offered a small role as a creature in Obi-Wan Kenobi.
Braff’s memorable character comes into the story in episode three when Kenobi and Leia arrive on the mining planet Mapuzo. He’s the mole-like alien named Freck that offers the pair a ride. He’s also quite friendly with the stormtroopers that are working on the planet too. Braff is most well known for his role as JD in Scrubs, although it’s unlikely fans of the show will recognise him as Freck.
Braff spoke more in depth about his character in an interview with SlashFilm, in which he described how he was approached for the role and what motivated him to take it. It turns out, Braff had a connection with series director Deborah Chow after starring in her first independent movie. When Chow landed the director job on the Disney Plus series, she offered the small creature role to Braff. Of course, like any sane human, he leapt at the chance to be a part of the Star Wars universe.
“… she said, ‘There’s not really a character for you in the series, but would you ever do a creature?’ There’s something cool about the Star Wars canon, if you’re a creature and you’re just a voice, you’re not prevented from being other real human characters.”
The design of Freck and Braff’s performance make him stand out amongst the many different minor alien characters we’ve seen in the Star Wars universe. It’s obvious that Braff was excited to be a part of Star Wars even if it was just a small role. Many fans enjoyed the character.
Although some just didn’t warm to him, suggesting he’d probably be a Trump voter.
And the few who realised who was behind the character were surprised to say the least.
What’s interesting about Freck is that he’s not a good or evil character, he’s just trying to make ends meet on his homeworld. He does end up betraying Kenobi and Leia, but, as fans pointed out, he’s a complex character who may have more motivation than it seems at first. When you think about it from a citizen’s point of view, the Empire have brought stability to the galaxy.
Freck survives the scuffle between Kenobi and the Stormtroopers, only being knocked out. So perhaps we could see him again if we ever get a second season of Obi-Wan Kenobi, although both seem quite unlikely at this point. However, even if we don’t see Freck ever again, Braff already mentioned that he could always return as a different character, maybe even a human one this time, as the audience haven’t seen his face.
