Star Wars Rebels Star Claims Fans Are Always “Disappointed” to Learn He Is Hot Kallus

Of all the characters in Star Wars Rebels, one of the most interesting journeys was that of Kallus, though actor David Oyelowo claims that fans are often disappointed when they meet him and realize how he looks nothing like the animated figure. When the character debuted in the series, he was a vicious Imperial who would stop at nothing to find his target, only to defect from the terrifying organization and join the Rebel Alliance. A key part of this transition of allegiances was embracing a more renegade aesthetic, letting his hair grow out and earning the nickname among fans of “Hot Kallus.”

“It’s always been my ambition to play a white, ginger guy,” the actor joked with People. “The weird thing that happened during Star Wars Rebels was that my character took this kind of unexpected evolution where he went from being this guy to what became popularly known as ‘Hot Kallus.’ They kind of let his hair down a little bit more, he grew out the sideburns a bit. I think I was just a perpetual disappointment when the fans would meet me. They’d go, ‘Oh my God, this guy is Hot Kallus,’ and I’d go, ‘Hi, I’m David Oyelowo, and I’m Hot Kallus, I guess?’”

While the actor claims some fans might be disappointed upon meeting him, he also confessed that his kids had an entirely different reaction.

“There are so many films I’ve done that my kids couldn’t care less about,” Oyelowo noted. “So to have something where they go, ‘Dad! That is so cool!’ is everything.”

Kallus debuted in the series premiere of Rebels and was a major component of the series up through its conclusion. The success of the series has led fans to speculate about whether we could ever see these characters come to life in a live-action project, with Kallus seeming like one of the more likely villains from the series to seamlessly blend in with the live-action adventures.

There has been no confirmation that any animated characters will cross over into the world of live action, but Rebels creator Dave Filoni might have teased such a development earlier this year.

“Having a character you wrote walk up and talk to you in full costume on a set that you imagined, that was a wonderful thing,” Filoni shared with Entertainment Weekly about his time on set.

Taken at face value, it’s possible these are innocuous comments about what it’s like to encounter Star Wars characters in the real world as opposed to developing them behind-the-scenes and have them featured in an animated adventure, but the specifics of his comments could be hinting at something even more exciting.

Stay tuned for details on the future of the Star Wars franchise.

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