Kim Convenience star, Paul Sun-Hyung Lee, is officially part of the Star Wars Universe.
The Korean-Canadian actor made a surprise appearance on chapter 10 of Disney+’s The Mandalorian as Captain Carson Teva, a rebel pilot who pulls up to The Razor Crest on its travels through the system.
When Kimbits first spotted everyone’s favourite Appa on the episode, they were initially unsure if it was him. However, Lee casually confirmed his appearance via Twitter, causing everyone to go wild.
Lee’s entry into the Star Wars universe is especially special, as the Canadian Screen Award winner is also an avid cosplayer known for the incredible costumes and props he creates from the franchise.
Lee expressed on Twitter the role was a “dream come true” and that he “cried during the costume fitting.” He shared with fans that while he didn’t make the costume he wore on The Mandalorian, he did “help them a little with the placement and rigging of the ejection harness.”
He also mentioned he “didn’t want to get out” of the cockpit.
According to CBC, his journey to Star Wars started in 2018 when he bumped into Deborah Chow, an old friend from his days working at Toronto’s Factory Theatre. Chow mentioned she was shooting The Mandalorian, and told Lee that Dave Filoni, the executive producer, was a fan of Kim’s Convenience and wanted to wrte him a part.
Lee says his journey to Star Wars started in 2018 when he bumped into Deborah Chow, an old friend from his days working at Toronto’s Factory Theatre. He and the cast of Kim’s were in L.A. for a celebration of Asians in the media.
Chow mentioned she was shooting a show called The Mandalorian and told Lee that Dave Filoni, the executive producer, happened to be a fan of Kim’s and wanted to write him a part.
Flash forward to February 2020, and Lee travelled to Los Angeles to film the episode.
“I was five years old again,” he told CBC. “I got transported to that galaxy far, far away, [I’ve spent] my entire life watching the movies. To finally be there, to be sitting there, didn’t want to leave.”
Lee’s Kim’s Convenience castmates were quick to celebrate his monumental appearance in the Disney+ franchise, acknowledging this was a big dream for the actor.
Lee also told CBC he hoped his inclusion in the series would inspire others, especially since he felt frustrated that as a young, Korean-Canadian Star Wars fan, he didn’t see anyone who looked like him in the movies.
“A Korean-Canadian in the Star Wars universe gives hope to a lot of people that dreams do come true. That this is attainable. That’s Star Wars in a nutshell for me,” he told CBC.
Here’s hoping we see more of Lee in this franchise!
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