Sigourney Weaver Reveals Baby Grogu Was Stealing Her Snacks Between Takes on ‘The Mandalorian and Grogu’

When one of Hollywood’s most iconic sci-fi veterans steps into the ‘Star Wars‘ universe for the first time, you expect big things. What you might not expect is to hear her describe a scene partner who was quietly plotting to swipe her lunch. That is exactly the kind of on-set story Sigourney Weaver has been sharing ahead of the release of ‘The Mandalorian and Grogu,’ and it perfectly captures why this film already feels different from anything the franchise has delivered in years.

Weaver plays Colonel Ward, a former Rebel Alliance pilot turned leader of the New Republic’s Adelphi Rangers, who commissions Din Djarin and Grogu for a dangerous mission to the Outer Rim. Speaking at Star Wars Celebration, the actress described her character as someone who came up during the Rebellion and is now completely committed to protecting the New Republic, skeptical of Grogu but quietly won over by the pairing. It is a fitting role for an actress whose decades-long history with science fiction made her feel, in many fans’ eyes, overdue for a seat at this particular table.

What drew her to the project in the first place, she has been refreshingly candid about. In an interview with GamesRadar+, Weaver admitted that getting to share scenes with Grogu was probably the main reason she agreed to take the role, adding that the little character has grown up and is now capable of much more than audiences might have expected from the television series.

That enthusiasm spilled over into charming behind-the-scenes detail when Weaver spoke to TF1, describing a scene where she suddenly noticed puppeteers hidden underneath the table and found herself captivated by how real Grogu felt between takes, including his habit of trying to steal food from her.

She expanded on that feeling of pure belief in a separate conversation, explaining that even knowing it takes four puppeteers to get Grogu walking and moving, she found herself looking only at the character, completely absorbed by him. She put it plainly in one interview, saying that she is simply not a good enough actor to pretend when nothing is in front of her, and that having the real puppet there made all the difference, even as her character is meant to keep a professional distance from the adorable creature.

Director Jon Favreau has echoed that sentiment, saying that Weaver’s legacy as a science-fiction hero brought an instant authenticity to the role of Colonel Ward that would have been very difficult to manufacture any other way. The film is set to be the first theatrically released ‘Star Wars’ movie since 2019, with Pedro Pascal and Jeremy Allen White also starring, and a release date of May 22, 2026 locked in for audiences in the United States.

Pedro Pascal has joked during the press tour that Grogu is the real star of the film, even teasing that the little one had a manicure before red carpet appearances. Given what Weaver has shared about her own experience falling completely under Grogu’s spell between takes, Pascal may not be wrong.

With ‘The Mandalorian and Grogu’ arriving in theaters imminently, it is worth asking: are you more excited to see Weaver’s Colonel Ward commanding the galaxy, or watching Grogu inevitably charm everyone around him despite her best efforts to stay professional?