There was a very familiar name in the credits of the latest episode of Obi Wan Kenobi, but it isn’t immediately obvious as to who he was playing. Confused fans with a keen eye may have noticed Zach Braff’s name amongst the regular cast members, and you’d be forgiven for not recognizing him in the episode.
Editor's Note: The following contains spoilers for Episode 3 of the Disney+ series, Obi-Wan Kenobi.
Whilst an earlier cameo in the series from Flea, the Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist, may have been instantly noticeable, this one wasn’t so much. That’s because Braff played Freck, the strange mole-looking alien that served as Obi Wan and Leia’s driver as they made their way to the spaceport. We don’t know too much about Freck, but we do know he was secretly working for the Empire, and so he did his best to sabotage the journey to Mapuzo.
It was quite a stark contrast from Braff's role in Scrubs as J.D, both in looks and demeanor, but the inflections of his voice were just about enough to deduce who he portrayed here. Fans online have been quick to argue that the voice may have been Seth Rogen’s, and although it sounds strangely similar to Rogen’s, Braff is the one credited. We don’t know yet whether Braff was physically on set in the Freck costume, or if he just provided the voice for it, but it’s a welcome sight, nevertheless.
Braff is just the latest in a long line of Hollywood stars who have appeared across the franchise. Like Braff, many actors have made a cameo appearance as a character that makes them completely unrecognizable, doing it just for their love of Star Wars. Simon Pegg, for example, portrayed Unkar Plutt in The Force Awakens, the junk-boss Crolute of Jakku. Pegg has always been a massive fan of the franchise, and even voiced C-3PO in Phineas and Ferb’s Star Wars special. Another star that gave their voice to a role was Joseph Gordon-Levitt. The Dark Knight actor voiced Slowen Lo in The Last Jedi, a member of the Abednedo race. Even the genius behind the whole organization, George Lucas, has been getting in on the act. Surprisingly, it took him until the sixth film of the long-running saga, Revenge of the Sith, to finally make an appearance. He gave himself the role of playwright Baron Notluwiski Papanoida, in one of the more subtle but crowd pleasing cameos.
It was definitely a nice surprise to see Braff’s name in the credits, and cameos are always a fun Easter egg to look out for in any Star Wars releases. It’s a huge testament to the production staff of all the movies and series, as they are constantly able to attract these big names to their work.
With the surprise inclusion of a young Princess Leia (Vivien Lyra Blair), as well as the welcomed returns of Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensen, fans are already being well treated with this latest installment to the Star Wars franchise. It's intriguing to see what happens next in the Disney+ series, but let's hope there's more special appearances to come!