We all know the big faces of Star Wars — Luke, Leia, Han, Obi-Wan. But what about the ones hiding behind stormtrooper helmets, alien masks, or buried in the credits?
Over the years, Star Wars has had way more surprising cameos and hidden performances than most fans realize. Some of these actors went on to become Hollywood stars, while others were already big names just having fun on set.
So here are 10 forgotten actors who actually appeared in Star Wars — and you probably had no idea.
1. Keira Knightley — Sabé, Padmé’s Decoy (The Phantom Menace)
Before Pirates of the Caribbean or Pride & Prejudice, Keira Knightley actually debuted in Star Wars. She played Sabé, Queen Amidala’s handmaiden and official decoy — the one who swapped places with Padmé during dangerous missions. She looked so much like Natalie Portman that even their mothers couldn’t tell them apart in full makeup. Knightley was only 12 years old when filming began.
2. Daniel Craig — Stormtrooper JB-007 (The Force Awakens)
You’d never guess that James Bond himself was lurking under a stormtrooper helmet in The Force Awakens. Daniel Craig secretly cameo-ed as the trooper Rey mind-tricks to escape her cell on Starkiller Base — the one who says, “And I’ll drop my weapon.” The cameo was arranged because The Force Awakens was filmed next door to Spectre at Pinewood Studios. Fun fact: the crew jokingly labeled him “JB-007” in the credits.
3. Simon Pegg — Unkar Plutt (The Force Awakens)
Buried under pounds of prosthetics and an attitude problem, Simon Pegg played Unkar Plutt — the greedy junk dealer who trades Rey’s scavenged parts for portions on Jakku. You’d never recognize him, but his voice gives him away. Outside of Star Wars, Pegg is beloved for Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, and Star Trek, making him one of the few actors to appear in both Star franchises.
4. Joseph Gordon-Levitt — Slowen Lo (The Last Jedi)
Joseph Gordon-Levitt didn’t show up on screen, but his voice did. He played Slowen Lo, the Canto Bight alien who tattles on Finn and Rose for illegal parking. Director Rian Johnson added him as a little Easter egg since the two have worked together since Brick and Looper. Levitt even improvised much of his dialogue, giving the character that perfect “annoyed local” energy.
5. Clancy Brown — Burg the Devaronian (The Mandalorian, Season 1) / Governor Ryder Azadi (Ahsoka, Season 1)
If you watched The Mandalorian’s prison break episode, you’ve seen Clancy Brown — you just might not have realized it. He played Burg, the massive, red-skinned Devaronian with horns and a serious temper.
But that wasn’t his only Star Wars appearance. Brown later returned to the galaxy far, far away in Ahsoka, this time playing Governor Ryder Azadi — the same character he originally voiced in Star Wars Rebels.
Brown’s no stranger to the franchise either; he voiced Savage Opress, Darth Maul’s brother, in The Clone Wars. Beyond Star Wars, fans know him from The Shawshank Redemption, Highlander, and, of course, as the voice of Mr. Krabs in SpongeBob SquarePants.
6. Sofia Coppola — Saché, Padmé’s Handmaiden (The Phantom Menace)
Before becoming an Oscar-winning filmmaker (Lost in Translation, Marie Antoinette), Sofia Coppola made a quick appearance in The Phantom Menace as one of Padmé’s handmaidens, Saché.
7. Warwick Davis — Too Many Roles to Count
Warwick Davis isn’t just an actor in Star Wars — he’s practically a tradition. He started as Wicket the Ewok in Return of the Jedi when he was only 11 years old, then went on to play multiple other characters across The Phantom Menace, The Rise of Skywalker, and even Solo. Outside Star Wars, you’ll know him from Willow and Harry Potter.
8. Richard Armitage — Naboo Fighter Pilot (The Phantom Menace)
Before leading dwarves into battle as Thorin Oakenshield in The Hobbit trilogy, Richard Armitage had a small blink-and-you’ll-miss-it role in The Phantom Menace. He appeared as a Naboo pilot during the final space battle above Theed. You wouldn’t recognize him — but it’s there in the official cast credits.
9. Rose Byrne — Dormé, Padmé’s Handmaiden (Attack of the Clones)
Years before Bridesmaids and X-Men: First Class, Rose Byrne played Dormé, one of Padmé’s loyal handmaidens in Attack of the Clones. She has a short but memorable role, showing real concern for her senator as she leaves Coruscant for Naboo. Byrne later laughed about being “the handmaiden who cried” and admitted she didn’t fully grasp she was in Star Wars until years later.
10. Dominic West — Naboo Palace Guard (The Phantom Menace)
Before becoming famous for The Wire and The Affair, Dominic West showed up briefly as a Naboo palace guard standing beside Queen Amidala. His screen time is so short you’d miss it if you blinked, but it’s real. West later joked that he had “no idea what was happening” on set — which, honestly, is probably how most of us would feel standing next to a young Natalie Portman and a sea of Gungans.