Shirley Henderson Secured Her Star Wars Role Through One Of the Franchise's Most Unconventional Auditions

Although it might not be obvious while watching, Shirley Henderson provided the voice for Babu Frik in J.J. Abrams' 2019 film Star Wars: Episode IX The Rise of Skywalker. Babu Frik is a tiny Anzellan engineer, standing around nine inches tall, known for tinkering with C-3POs (Anthony Daniels) brain to aid the heroes of the story. While the characters role is brief, Babu Frik remains one of the films most memorable additions.

Henderson, a seasoned actor with a career beginning in the mid-1980s, gained recognition in the 1990s through notable British television shows and films such as Rob Roy and Trainspotting. She delivered a standout performance as Leonora Braham in Mike Leigh's 1999 musical biopic Topsy-Turvy and became widely known for her portrayal of Moaning Myrtle in the Harry Potter series. Over the years, she has collaborated with filmmakers including Michael Winterbottom, Sofia Coppola, Oliver Parker, Todd Solondz, and Kelly Reichardt. More recently, she lent her voice to Pixars Elio and starred in the TV drama Summerwater and Netflixs crime series Dept. Q.

Despite her prior voice acting experience, auditioning for Babu Frik was unlike any role Henderson had attempted. Due to strict secrecy surrounding Star Wars productions, she was given almost no information about the character, only a few vague traits. Henderson recounted to Radio Times that she performed her audition on the floor, improvising a voice for a character whose description was: "Maybe very small, maybe very old, maybe from somewhere else."

She described the audition experience: "I went to the audition with J.J. Abrams, who is the sweetest man, and Nina Gold, who cast me in 'Topsy-Turvy,' had a lovely chat, and then I did my bit. I hunched down on the floor and did this voice I had come up with in a language I had made up. He said, 'You've got the job,' and they brought in a model of Babu Frik. It's voice acting, but not in the sense that you voice it later. I was there, on set, crammed into a cupboard on the floor trying to see what the puppeteers were doing with Babu's mouth to improvise in the made-up language. An amazing job."

While Hendersons voice is unrecognizable in the role, her performance was essential to bringing Babu Frik to life. Unlike typical puppetry where a voice actor may control the puppets mouth, she collaborated closely with professional puppeteers to match her improvised dialogue with the characters movements. Babu Frik emerged as a standout figure in a film that received mixed reactions from fans but ultimately grossed over one billion dollars worldwide.

Analysis: Shirley Henderson's Hidden Contribution to "The Rise of Skywalker"

Shirley Henderson's portrayal of Babu Frik in "Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker" might not have been immediately apparent to most viewers, but her voice performance was crucial to the character's impact. Despite being a minor addition to the film, Babu Frik became one of its most memorable and beloved characters, thanks in part to Henderson's unique approach to the role.

The casting process for Babu Frik was atypical, with Henderson given little information about the character she would voice. Describing the audition, she recalled creating an improvised voice and language on the spot, reflecting the secrecy surrounding the Star Wars franchise. This process, involving direct collaboration with the puppeteers, resulted in a dynamic and lively character that felt authentic, even though Henderson’s contribution was entirely vocal and performed on the fly.

The choice to hire Henderson, known for her roles in "Trainspotting" and as Moaning Myrtle in the Harry Potter series, demonstrates a commitment to blending experienced voice acting with hands-on, physical performance. In Babu Frik's case, this meant adjusting her delivery in real time to synchronize with the puppetry work that brought the tiny Anzellan to life. While Babu Frik may not have featured heavily in the plot, his distinctive voice and endearing mannerisms left a lasting impression on fans, contributing to the film's worldwide success.

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• Shirley Henderson Landed Her Star Wars Role In One Of The Franchise's Most Unusual Auditions