Original Boba Fett actor, Jeremy Bulloch, passes away at the age of 75
One of the highlights of our time as podcasters was meeting actor Jeremy Bulloch, who passed away today at the age of 75 years old. Mr. Bulloch is best known as the actor who played fan-favorite Boba Fett from The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. We met him for the first time at Star Wars Weekends in 2014, and then again at many Celebrations and events and each time he was the sweetest man who listened to and cared so much for his fans.
He wasn’t just the man who gave character to Boba Fett, he also played Lt. Sheckil the Imperial Officer holding back Princess Leia as she shouted, “it’s a trap,” to Luke Skywalker in The Empire Strikes Back. Bulloch also made a cameo in Revenge of the Sith as Captain Colton who was among the crew aboard the Sundered Heart when Bail Organa, Yoda, and Obi-Wan Kenobi went on the search for surviving Jedi.
There were no auditions for Boba Fett since Bulloch’s half brother, Robert Watts, was the associate producer on The Empire Strikes Back. Watts brought Bulloch, they tried on the suit and it fit. Henceforth he was now the new bad guy in the Star Wars sequel. However, Jason Wingreen provided the voice before Temuera Morrison replaced the dialogue to better connect with Boba’s father, Jango Fett in Attack of the Clones.
Over the past few decades, Jeremy Bulloch has appeared in many theater productions; TV shows and films including The Spy Who Loved Me, For Your Eyes Only and Octopussy from the James Bond saga;. He also had a cameo alongside Star Wars alumni David Prowse and Peter Mayhew in Mark Hamill’s Comic Book: The Movie. Bulloch was featured in the documentary Elstree 1976 (2015); which focused on the actors and extras from the original Star Wars trilogy.
I am so happy to see the legacy of Boba Fett carry on through The Mandalorian. He was a mysterious character when introduced onscreen in The Star Wars Holiday Special then as a mail-away Kenner action figure. He was a walking swiss army knife who had weapons on every part of his body and his armor was battle damaged from probably countless entanglements. Jeremy Bulloch brought so much to this character with the little screen time as he had in the original Star Wars Trilogy. Every slight head turn and body movement spoke volumes and added to this intergalactic gunslinger which Bulloch drew inspiration from Clint Eastwood’s The Man With No Name.
Daniel Logan, who played young Boba Fett in Attack of the Clones shared his condolences on his Twitter account.
I am so happy to be able to say, “I met Jeremy Bulloch.” But now, I miss him already. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends.
Rich. I fondly remember that interview you and Sarah had with him on your show. I could tell he was genuinely enamored with you two.