Countless characters exist in the Star Wars universe, from powerful Jedi and wise-cracking droids to shifty smugglers and diabolical Sith Lords. Yet I’m not sure fans have ever encountered someone like Jedi Bob of the newly released LEGO Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy. Not only is the Force-user himself unique, but the story behind his conception is as well. Bobby Moynihan, who lends his voice to the hero on the miniseries, is more than aware of that history and, while speaking to CinemaBlend, he shared a sweet take on it.
What’s The Story Behind One Of The Star Wars Franchise’s Quirkiest Heroes?
Before we get to the comments Mr. Moynihan shared with me amid the Rebuild the Galaxy press junket, we need to discuss Jedi Bob’s origins. This all began with the LEGO Republic Gunship set that was released back in 2002 as part of the Attack of the Clones collection. In addition to the aforementioned vessel and a few Clone Troopers, the set included an unnamed hooded Jedi with a lightsaber. Though not canon, the character was embraced by fans, and that’s what led him to being officially recognized as “Bob” in LEGO Star Wars: The Visual Dictionary.
I actually owned a few sets from that Attack of the Clones line back in the day and was pleasantly surprised when I recently learned of its connection to Bob. His current role in the new TV special, which will be available to Disney+ subscription holders, exemplifies the power of positivity amongst fans. As for the man who lent his voice to the character, he had a connection to this story long before he landed his role.
How Bobby Moynihan Feels About Jedi Bob
Bobby Moynihan hasn’t hidden his Star Wars fandom and, over the past few years, he’s held several roles within Disney and Lucasfilm’s sci-fi saga. For instance, he voiced Orka in Resistance – which ended after two seasons in 2019 – and was part of the star-studded cast of Visions Season 1. Jedi Bob not only signifies his latest role in the beloved franchise but a full-circle moment as well. That’s because, during our chat, Moynihan revealed that he bought the actual minifigure during the hoopla:
I know about it. … I had the figure, when I found out it was happening. I just collect a lot of stuff, and I always loved the story behind it, like, I just love the idea that this generic figure came out, and the fans turned it into this, you know, character. And, now, we get to see it completely fleshed out for them, and it’s super fun to be a part of that. But I knew it. I had the gunship.
Considering his love of the franchise, I probably shouldn’t have been too surprised that the Saturday Night Live alum owned the figure. I honestly geeked out a bit myself when he actually showed it to me during our conversation. Later on, he also recalled the moment he received the opportunity to voice Bob and then explained what he really enjoyed about the work:
I had this [minifig] when I got the call that I was playing Jedi Bob, and I was like, ‘That’s… I can’t believe it. I can’t.’ There’s not many characters, too, in Star Wars that already have an established – a lot of people know about this character, but there’s nothing to know about it yet. And that was very fun to get to build all that.
“Build” is definitely an important word when it comes to the new limited series. It centers on nerf herder and storyteller Sig Greebling, who accidentally alters the history of the galaxy far, far away after stumbling upon a hidden Jedi temple. While trying to restore his universe, he teams up with Bob, who attempts to help the boy unlock his inner strength. Bobby Moynihan’s character doesn’t disappoint, and I’m certainly glad he’s made the jump from toy set to TV set.
Stream LEGO Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy now alongside other new titles on Disney+. Also, be sure to read up on the upcoming Star Wars TV shows and movies headed your way as well as other titles that are on the 2024 TV schedule.