552: Inside MAUL: SHADOW LORD with Sam Witwer & the Creative Team
At a recent roundtable for Maul: Shadow Lord, several Star Wars fan sites gathered to hear from Sam Witwer (voice of Maul) and Gideon Adlon (voice of Devon) about bringing this new chapter of the galaxy to life. What emerged was a behind-the-scenes look at collaboration, character evolution, and the emotional core behind one of Star Wars’ most complex characters. Watch the full roundtable here, or read on for a written summary.
From the start, Witwer made it clear that this project is deeply collaborative, with creators and performers working closely to maintain authenticity while exploring new territory.
“At the end of the day, it feels like a bunch of friends hanging out and spinning a Star Wars yarn. It’s incredibly collaborative—everyone brings great ideas and energy. It’s been really, really fun.”
Serving not only as the voice of Darth Maul but also contributing creatively behind the scenes, Witwer described his role as keeping the character authentic to how he’s been portrayed for the past 16 years, while still allowing the story to evolve. That balance is key in Maul: Shadow Lord, which places Maul in a more central role. The series explores Maul not just as a villain, but as a product of his upbringing – mainly Darth Sidious’s role. Witwer emphasized that each era of Maul’s life demands a new performance—one that reflects his shifting mindset and experiences across The Clone Wars, Rebels, and now Shadow Lord.
“Every time we portray Maul, it has to be a new version of him. Otherwise, what’s the point? This version is reassessing everything about his life. He’s confused. He’s questioning what he was taught, what the Empire really is, and what the Jedi actually were.”
One of the most intriguing aspects of Maul: Shadow Lord is its willingness to position Maul as a central protagonist—without losing sight of his darker nature.
“Star Wars is a moral mythology about selfishness versus selflessness. So putting one of the more selfish characters in a protagonist role blurs those lines. We need to understand why he does what he does—but we don’t have to agree with him.”
For Gideon Adlon (voice of Devon), stepping into the Star Wars universe came as a surprise. Initially auditioning under secrecy, she didn’t even realize the project’s true nature until later in the process.
“When I first auditioned, I thought it was for a 1920s mafia show. I had no idea it was Star Wars. Then I found out, and the weight of that hits you, like, ‘Oh my goodness, this is Star Wars, and she’s a Jedi.’ It’s anyone’s dream to be part of this galaxy.”
Adlon’s character, Devon, is a young Force-sensitive twi’lek navigating difficult choices, torn between her Master and the devil on her shoulder – Maul.
“I think she listens to Maul because she sees a similarity between them. She’s trying to understand herself, and that curiosity can take her to extreme lengths.”
Through the roundtable, we learned that both Witwer and Adlon recorded their scenes together, and both actors highlighted the importance of trust and collaboration in the recording booth. Says Adlon:
“Physicality is really important, even in voice acting. The way you move affects how your voice sounds. Star Wars is very physical. There’s fighting, emotion, screaming. You have to move with it.”
Even with 16 years of Maul voice work under his belt, Witwer credits their shared performances as essential to the show’s emotional depth.
“I wouldn’t know how to approach these scenes without Gideon. My performance is entirely dependent on hers. She’s so surprising and so committed.”
Perhaps the most surprising takeaway is how accessible Maul: Shadow Lord aims to be. Unprompted, Witwer took a moment at the end of the Roundtable to emphasize this fact.
“If you have never seen Star Wars before, you will understand what’s happening in this show. You don’t need any homework – we’ve got you.”
With a passionate creative team and standout performances from Sam Witwer and Gideon Adlon, Maul: Shadow Lord looks poised to deepen our understanding Maul, the character, and of this time period one year after Order 66. And if this roundtable is any indication, it’s all being built the best way possible—by a group of creators who genuinely love Star Wars. Watch on Disney+ beginning April 6.
This Star Wars fan site roundtable was recorded on March 31, 2026 and brought together our friends from across the fandom, including Fangirls Going Rogue, Father Son Galaxy, Full of Sith, SkyTalkers, Skywalking Through Neverland (us), Ion Cannon Podcast, Fantha Tracks, Jedi News, and Endor Express—each contributing thoughtful questions and unique perspectives to the conversation. Thank you to Disney and Lucasfilm for providing this press day.
