Mr. And Mrs. Smith Star Maya Erskine Has A Star Wars Role You Likely Don't Remember
As an actor, comedian, writer, and producer, Maya Erskine keeps busy. She may have broken out with her role on the hilarious comedy series "PEN15," which she also created with co-star Anna Konkle, but her career has come to span a wide variety of movies and shows. Most recently, she's starred as Jane in "Mr. and Mrs. Smith," a Prime Video adaptation of the 2005 Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie film, alongside fellow multi-hyphenate Donald Glover. But what fans of the new series may not know is that Erskine also joined the "Star Wars" universe back in 2022.
In the Disney+ series "Obi-Wan Kenobi," Erskine appeared as Sully Stark, a rebel pilot working for the Force-sensitive refugee underground railroad known as The Path. Though Sully doesn't play too big of a role in the show, she does get to fly the iconic T-47 airspeeder — adapted as the snowspeeder in "The Empire Strikes Back" — to help rescue Obi-Wan (Ewan McGregor), Leia Organa (Vivien Lyra Blair), and Tala Durith (Indira Varma) from Fortress Inquisitorius. Since she survives her encounters with the Empire on the show, it's possible that Erskine could return as the rebel pilot in later "Star Wars" stories set in the Imperial era.
Despite her comedic origins — a field in which Erskine continues to shine — the actor has stepped more and more into higher genre and action roles. Her "Star Wars" debut is a highlight on that list, but it isn't the only example.
Maya Erskine is becoming a truly versatile star
In addition to her recent turn in the "Star Wars" universe, Maya Erskine has earned widespread acclaim for her leading role as Mizu in the hit Netflix animated series "Blue Eye Samurai." The show, a bloody revenge tale told in a gorgeous visual style, gave Erskine the opportunity to play another completely different kind of role, albeit as a voice actor instead of a live-action one.
Voice work has become more and more common for Erskine, who's also played characters on shows like "BoJack Horseman," "Big Mouth," "Bob's Burgers," and "Crossing Swords." This work has even continued on the big screen, with Erskine voicing the villainous Mercy Graves in 2022's "DC League of Super-Pets" and Darla Thennis in the upcoming animated fantasy film "Wildwood."
When comedy becomes an actor's calling card early on in their career, it can be difficult for them to assert themselves in other, more serious genres. Thankfully, Erskine seems to have dodged this common bullet and is branching out successfully into other realms of acting. She's always a joy to watch, whether she's playing spy games in "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" or flying T-47s in "Obi-Wan Kenobi," and it should be exciting to see what she does next.