Kumail Nanjiani has recently revealed details about his new character in the upcoming Star Wars television series Obi-Wan Kenobi. Ewan McGregor reprises his role as the titular character who now lives in exile following the events of Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith. Set 10 years after the fall of the Galactic Republic, Kenobi must stay hidden on the desert planet Tatooine in order to protect Luke Skywalker from the Empire, Darth Vader, and the Inquisitors.
Due to the time frame of the latest Star Wars entry, many familiar characters will make their return to the franchise, such as Uncle Owen (Joel Edgerton), Aunt Beru (Bonnie Piesse), and Darth Vader/Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen). Even previously established characters that have only appeared in animated shows will join the series such as the Grand Inquisitor (Rupert Friend) and the Fifth Brother. However, Obi-Wan Kenobi will introduce fans to brand new characters such as Reva the Third Sister (Moses Ingram) and an additional character played by Nanjiani whose background has remained a mystery until now.
EW recently caught up with Nanjiani who shared details about his new character in the upcoming Star Wars series Obi-Wan Kenobi. The comedian explained that the character’s name is Haja and he is a grifter from a new planet known as Daiyu. The new location features a dense city that was inspired by Hong Kong, with narrow streets, vibrant nightlife, and neon signs. Read how Nanjiani described his new character below.
“His name is Haja. And he’s this guy who works on the streets of Daiyu, which is this new Star Wars location that we haven’t seen before that’s absolutely gorgeous. And he’s the guy who’s worked really hard to stay out of the bigger conflicts at play. He just kind of wants to be his own guy. Survival for him is all that matters.”
“He’s this sort of con-man guy who cons people for money. That’s what’s important to him. And then he has a run-in with Obi-Wan and suddenly he sort of gets stuck in the bigger conflicts at play, which is the thing that he really tries to avoid. So he is this street-level con-man guy who then gets embroiled in stuff that’s way too big for him. And he has to make a choice.”
Nanjiani explained that survival is a key aspect of Haja’s personality. Although the small-time crook has chosen swindling easy marks as a living, his desire to earn money, yet not gain a significant amount of attention, is telling in regard to his unknown past. How Haja found himself on the streets of Daiyu remains to be seen, but whatever happened to him before his turn to crime most likely left Haja with some kind of trauma that causes him to favor the shadows over normal life.
Similar to Han Solo before him, Haja appears to be a character who, through chance, falls into an adventure far larger than they ever imagined. Based on Nanjiani’s casting, the conman will probably be a fast-talking humorous street thief with an honorable streak that perhaps allows Kenobi to form a partnership with the former Jedi Master. However, it is unknown how much the character will feature in Obi-Wan Kenobi‘s six episodes.
Key Release Dates
Rogue Squadron
Release Date:2023-12-22
