Fans loved Ray Stevenson and his role as Baylan Skoll in "Star Wars"series"Ahsoka", causing Lucasfilm to make the difficult decision to replace the actor ahead of the second season.

After starring in numerous TV shows and movies, the actor passed away in May 2023 after a short illness.

In May 2023, Ray Stevenson died after a short illness at only 58 years old.

The "Vikings" star previously voiced "Star Wars" character Gar Saxon in the animated series "Star Wars Rebels" and reprized his role in "The Clone Wars."

He also played Volstagg in Marvel's "Thor" movies and Blackbeard in the Starz pirate series "Black Sails."

He passed away in May 2023, just months before “Ahsoka” premiered on Disney+ in August 2023.

Just a month before his death, the "RRR" actor talked to him Collider at Star Wars Celebration, which took place in London in April 2023. When asked which episodes from one to eight he most wanted fans to see, he jokingly replied, "One to eight."

“You can't. It's like splitting up a family and saying which child is your favorite," he joked. “It's the whole journey.” When asked about the scripts created by "Ahsoka" creator Dave Filoni, Stevenson admitted that he did not expect the "vision and complexity" given to the series.

Stevenson teased that there was a "scale" for "Ahsoka," adding, "I remember walking around the set like, 'Who designed this?'" The actor, who also appeared in the "Divergent" series, also praised the costume design, meticulous construction and set design, saying the cast and crew brought their "A game" to the series.

Months before its release, Stevenson said the show would bring “a lot of challenges, surprises, journeys and unexpected events, and he (Dave Filoni) just kept going. Although he admitted that it was "exhausting" filming some of the physical elements of the role, he still felt it was a "pleasure" to be part of the franchise.

"It's character driven fights," he explained while praising the stunt coordinators working on the show. He said the "stakes are high" and that these scenes will "literally" keep fans on the edge of their seats.

Although he admitted he didn't know what to expect from the Star Wars series, he was thrilled to see the showrunner Dave Filoni and the wardrobe team incorporating his feedback after trying on his costume. He noted that their attention to detail was "breathtaking."

He also praised Filoni and his longtime collaborator Jon Favreau for their unique ability to bring out the best in their actors, calling their "humility of greatness" truly "empowering, wonderful and humbling."

When asked about his passion for the show, Stevenson went on to say that “there's a genuine love there and you feel that now it's reverberated like a tsunami of love from the fans… it's from the cast and crew as well. We just want to give it to the audience that deserves it and give them everything and they help, just give it your all.”

In January 2024 The Insneider first broke the news that he was a Scottish actor Rory McCannwho is best known for playing the dog in HBO's wildly popular series "Game of Thrones," would replace the late actor Baylan Skoll in the Disney+ series "Ahsoka."

After leaving "Game of Thrones," fans recently spotted McCann in "Gladiator II," which comes out in late 2024. He also starred in "Jumanji: The Next Level," "Hot Fuzz," "xXx: The Return of Xander Cage,” and the recent show “Knuckles,” which is currently available to stream on Paramount+.

Starring in the Disney+ series "Ahsoka". Rosario Dawson as the title character Ahsoka Tano, who teams up with her former apprentice, Sabine Wren (Natasha Liu Bordizzo), to stop the Empire. On their way are Baylan Skoll and his apprentice, Shin Hati, whom he plays Ivanna Sakhno.

According to The Hollywood Reporterit's unclear when "Ahsoka" season 2 will begin filming or who will direct. Dave Filoni will return as showrunner.