‘Star Wars’ Darth Vaul Voice Actor Was Told ‘You’re the New James Earl Jones’ and Thought: ‘Then Why Are You Paying Me Such S— Money, George Lucas?’

Jun 18, 2026 3:39pm PT ‘Star Wars’ Darth Vaul Voice Actor Was Told ‘You’re the New James Earl Jones’ and Thought: ‘Then Why Are You Paying Me Such S— Money, George Lucas?’

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Zack Sharf

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©Lucasfilm Ltd./courtesy Everett / Everett Collection

Peter Serafinowicz appeared on a recent episode of the “Classic Clown” podcast and looked back at his brief stint voicing the villainous Darth Maul in 1999’s “Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace.” While Ray Park physically played the Sith villain on the set of the George Lucas-directed prequel, Serafinowicz contributed his voice to the part in both “Phantom Menace” and “Solo: A Star Wars Story.”

“It was weird. This character Darth Maul… I don’t know what I thought,” Serafinowicz said. “The design of it… I wasn’t that into it. When I saw the film it was the biggest disappointment of my life at that point. It really was. I mean, have you seen it? It was so exciting that even being in it .. doing this thing, what I thought would be this iconic thing. Just unimaginable.. I guess it sort of is [iconic]. I suppose.”

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