When people talk about the Star Wars prequels, the conversation usually drifts toward trade disputes, midichlorians, or Jar Jar Binks. But there’s a massive, booming presence that often gets overlooked despite literally shaking the screen. I’m talking about Brian Blessed.
You know the guy. He’s the man whose voice can probably be heard from low earth orbit. In The Phantom Menace, he played Boss Nass, the leader of the Gungans.
Honestly, it’s one of the weirdest and most delightful bits of casting in the entire saga.
The Audition Where George Lucas Just Gave Up
Most actors go into a meeting with George Lucas and try to be "Jedi-like." They’re stoic. They’re quiet. Brian Blessed is none of those things. When he first met Lucas, the director actually had a different role in mind. He wanted Blessed to play a character called "Bibbles"—which we now know as Sio Bibble, the Governor of Naboo.
Can you imagine Brian Blessed as a dry, bureaucratic human governor? Neither could Lucas.
After five minutes of Blessed being himself, Lucas realized the man had way too much energy for a guy in a fancy hat standing in a hallway. He told him, "Brian, I’ve got something else. I need you to be a special effect." He wanted something totally original. He wanted the King of the Gungans.
Brian Blessed Star Wars Stories Are Pure Chaos
Blessed didn't just show up and read lines. He basically invented the Gungan "blabber." You know that weird cheek-shaking noise Boss Nass makes when he’s frustrated? That wasn't in the script. That was just Brian Blessed being Brian Blessed.
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He once described the Gungan language as a mix of Italian, English, and Jamaican. If you listen closely, you can hear it. It’s rhythmic. It’s loud. It’s physically exhausting to watch.
Working on the set of The Phantom Menace was a strange experience for a veteran of the stage. He was often acting against nothing. Since Boss Nass was a CGI character (one of the first of his kind), Blessed had to wear a reference suit. He wasn't just a voice actor; he provided the "soul" of the movement.
He’s gone on record saying he loved the experience, despite the technical hurdles. He actually befriended Ahmed Best (Jar Jar) and tried to give George Lucas advice on how to handle the character’s reception. He saw the potential for the Gungans to be more than just comic relief.
Why Boss Nass Actually Matters
It's easy to dismiss Nass as a "fat, jolly buffoon." That’s a common critique. But if you look at the narrative, Nass is the one who holds the power.
- He manages a hidden underwater civilization.
- He maintains a strict isolationist policy to protect his people.
- He negotiates a peace treaty that literally saves the planet.
Without Brian Blessed’s gravity, the scene where Padmé kneels before the Gungans wouldn't work. You need someone who feels like a king—even if he’s a green, amphibious one. Blessed brought a Shakespearean weight to a character that could have been a total joke.
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The Legacy of the "Booming" Gungan
Blessed didn't stop with the movie. He’s one of those rare actors who stays loyal to his weird roles. He came back for the Lego Star Wars games and even voiced Nass in The Empire Strikes Out TV special.
He’s also famously friends with the late Alec Guinness. He’s talked about how Guinness initially struggled with the "fairy tale" nature of A New Hope. Blessed, on the other hand, embraced the silliness of the prequels from day one. He’s a man who climbed Everest three times and punched a polar bear in the face (allegedly). A bit of green screen wasn't going to intimidate him.
The Brian Blessed Star Wars connection is a reminder of a time when the franchise was swinging for the fences with experimental tech and eccentric casting.
How to Appreciate the Performance Today
If you’re doing a rewatch, don't just wait for the lightsaber duels. Look at the way Boss Nass moves.
- Watch the micro-expressions: Even for 1999 CGI, the way the character reacts to Qui-Gon’s Jedi Mind Trick is pure Blessed.
- Listen to the cadence: He treats the Gungan dialect like Ibsen or Chekhov. He gives it meter.
- Check out the funeral scene: In Revenge of the Sith, you see a much more somber Nass at Padmé’s funeral. It’s a tiny cameo, but it carries a lot of weight.
Next time you hear that "wobble" noise, remember there’s a 3rd-degree black belt and world-class explorer behind it. Brian Blessed didn't just play a frog-man; he gave the prequels a heartbeat.
If you want to dive deeper into the weird world of prequel production, look up the behind-the-scenes footage of the Gungan city. Seeing Blessed in his performance capture gear while bellowing at Ewan McGregor is a highlight of cinematic history.
Go back and watch the "Sacred Place" scene in Episode I. Pay attention to the physical presence Blessed brings to the role before the CGI was even added. It changes how you see the character entirely.