Sigourney Weaver played a significant role in the *The Mandalorian & Grogu* panel at Star Wars Celebration 2025. IGN had the privilege of sitting down with her to discuss her new character, her initial unfamiliarity with the series, her affection for Grogu, and whether she believes Grogu could outmatch a Xenomorph in power.

*The Mandalorian & Grogu* is slated to hit theaters on May 22, 2026. This interview aims to tide fans over until then and provide a deeper understanding of one of the newest characters joining the expansive Star Wars universe.

Sigourney Weaver at Star Wars Celebration 2025.

IGN: Sigourney, thank you so much for joining us! We were thrilled to see your character in The Mandalorian & Grogu panel, and it looks like she was maybe wearing a Rebel pilot uniform? What can you tell us about your character at this point?

Sigourney Weaver: Well, she was wearing a Rebel pilot uniform, and that's how she came up. Now, she's still a pilot, working to protect the New Republic. She's stationed out in the Outer Rim where remnants of the Empire linger, so she needs someone like the Mandalorian and his faithful companion.

IGN: We heard that your love of Grogu was one of the reasons you decided to take on this role. So, what was it like to actually work with him?

Weaver: Grogu is very mischievous, which won't surprise you. In every scene with him, there were several puppeteers, each handling a different aspect of his movements. Yet, no matter how many puppeteers were around him, all I saw was Grogu. He feels so real to me.

IGN: You’ve worked with a lot of different kinds of aliens in your career, from Xenomorphs to Na’vi. What was it like working with them in comparison to Grogu?

Weaver: He's definitely the cutest. If Xenomorphs are on one end of the spectrum and Slimer on the other, Grogu is way beyond that. The Japanese call it Kawaii!

IGN: So, you said in the panel that you hadn't seen The Mandalorian before you started working on this. What was it like finally watching all those episodes?

Weaver: I feel so lucky because Jon Favreau wasn't like, ‘You've got to start watching this!’ I was just thrilled to work with Jon on a Star Wars project. From the first episode, I found it to be a great concept. It's a classic Western with a few surprises, and I found it charming. It was a great way for me to re-enter the Star Wars world, which can be confusing with all its different projects. This was a fantastic standalone story that kept building, and I loved the characters, from Din Djarin and Grogu to the formidable antagonists like Werner Herzog. The suspense around what Herzog might do to Grogu was palpable.

IGN: Love it. Now, looking forward, you're certainly in the footage we saw this morning. We saw you sharing a scene with Grogu and him using his Force powers to try to steal… was it like a dish of food or something?

Weaver: Yes, it was a little bowl of snacks that were mine, and he was doing his little Force gestures. I'm just lucky I got them back. I had to be quite forceful.

IGN: Speaking of which, do you get to see Grogu use his Force powers in all their glory in this movie?

Weaver: He's always trying to do something. When I'm with him, I get to see what he does when he's more relaxed at the home base. However, I feel like Grogu is transitioning from a learning creature to someone with real skills. He's now an apprentice, and I can see a significant difference from the series. It shows there's a way for everyone to re-engage with Star Wars, expanding in all directions. It's truly amazing.

IGN: I'm still very interested in how you came to this project and your experience with Star Wars in general, dating back to the very first movie. Going through all of what we've seen so far. Do you have a favorite movie from the series?

Weaver: Yeah, I think Rogue One. I really liked Felicity Jones's character, and I'm glad that was the one I saw because I think of my generation as members of The Rebellion. I saw the other ones quite a while ago, and it was wonderful to watch them again. It's like going back to your childhood. It shows there's a way in for everybody back into Star Wars, and you can keep it going. It goes in all directions. It's quite an amazing thing.

IGN: Last question. Who is the most powerful being in the universe? Grogu or a Xenomorph?

Weaver: Well, it’s not that I don’t believe in him, but I’m afraid it’s a Xenomorph.

IGN: Why do you think that is?

Weaver: Because he can’t help himself. He just has to take over and destroy and promote his group. And, what I know and remember of Yoda is that he is too wise to do all of that. He’s not a destructive being. He’s on the side of good, and I think Grogu is too, obviously.

IGN: And he’s just too cute to be all that threatening, right?

Weaver: Well, listen, if he stayed with Werner Herzog, who knows what he would have become?