A Future of the Force exclusive interview with The Mandalorian’s Dominic Pace – a new breed of bounty hunter!
The Mandalorian is easily one of the most anticipated new shows airing on the new Disney+ this month! With Jon Favreau, Dave Filoni, and Deborah Chow at the helm, you can bet this will be an amazing series. We’ve seen the trailers and read the speculations. Now let’s hear from one of the actors themselves! I was ecstatic to get to ask Dominic Pace, one of the bounty hunters in the upcoming series, a few questions about his love of Star Wars and The Mandalorian.
INTERVIEW | DOMINIC PACE “The Mandalorian”
Katelyn: What does Star Wars mean to you? Have you always been a fan?
Dominic: I’ve been a fan as far back as I can remember. My mother got me the Cantina Playset when I was about five. I had all the original figures and I remembered being so fascinated with the side characters. Walrusman, Hammerhead, Snaggletooth, Greedo. I just thought the world of them as they were so unique. Star Wars to me is a combination of the beautiful mythology of life along with family relationships. The father/son storyline really resonates with me as my father and I really weren’t close until we got older. The teachings of Yoda have inspired us to believe in ourselves, and find the good and peace in the world.
Katelyn: What first attracted you to this particular Star Wars project?
Dominic: I didn’t pick The Mandalorian, The Mandalorian picked me. Lol. Even Brie Larson and Angelina Jolie don’t have that pull. I wish I could tell you how I called up David Filoni and told him I wanted a part. This was simply an absolute dream come true as it started out with a simple makeup test. I hit it off with the makeup artist from Legacy Effects. I had some previous prosthetic experience on Van Helsing as well as Bright starring Will Smith. The makeup test lasted about 7 hours. I was patient and kind to one of the head artists. There was no word as to what the test was for, or if there would be any job after that day. Fortunately for me, it became a dream come true.
Katelyn: What was your reaction to hearing you would be a part of such a large Star Wars project?
Dominic: I didn’t hear, I actually saw first. The studio and offices on the Manhattan Beach lot were all closed. There was a quiet tone to the entire crew. It wasn’t until I was invited into the wardrobe office where I knew. Any Star Wars fan would’ve recognized some of the familiar wardrobe pictures on the wall. I was escorted into a room with a clothes rack. There were three items of clothing next to my name along with the words BOUNTY HUNTER. I was overjoyed but also holding my breath until the scenes would be shot. How terrible it would’ve been to have come this far, but to not be seen in our beloved franchise. After seeing the trailer a few days ago, I let out a sigh of relief and emotion as my character was seen in the trailer.
Katelyn: What can you tell us about your character?
Dominic: Bounty Hunters are unapologetic for the most part. Money is their only motivation, and even if it’s a woman or child needing to be captured, they will stop at nothing to secure that bounty. That is how I saw my Bounty Hunter. I am 6’4” 250 pounds. Big, mean, and imposing.
Katelyn: How was filming the Mandalorian different from your previous experience?
Dominic: It was less of an acting accolade and more of a childhood dream come true. There is no way to compare. I’ve appeared in TV and Film professionally over 100 times. From starring roles to guest stars/co-stars/featured bits. This takes the cake as the franchise has meant so much to me. It’s like a real-life, Willy Wonka experience. I got to visit the Chocolate Factory and I was in heaven.
Katelyn: What was the culture like on set?
Dominic: Professional and consistent. Such an honor to be under the direction of Jon Favreau, David Filoni, and Deborah Chow. I was also greeted with another priceless gift on set… on my first day of filming, George Lucas himself was there. I was just quiet with my heart racing slightly. So much adrenaline rushing through me, as each day was better than the next. I was given every Star Wars dream on the first day, as the Props table of Legacy Effects allowed me to pick out my own blaster! Are you kidding me!? I picked the biggest one even though we had to carry it around for 15 plus hours. I didn’t care. I played with my action figures all through my childhood and now, here I was having the option to pick my own. The only icing on the cake will be to have my own action figure. Praying and hoping.
Katelyn: Which trilogy had the biggest influence over The Mandalorian?
Dominic: Original hands down. The original trio is what has made Star Wars special. Without Ford, Fisher, and Hamill, we would not be talking about this franchise today. I firmly believe that. We all fell in love with them and they breathed life into the franchise. They gave it a beating heart.
Katelyn: The trailers have definitely given fans the sense that the lines between good guy and bad guy will be blurred in the show. We know that you are one of the bounty hunters. Do you see your character as a good guy or bad guy?
Dominic: Bad guy hands down.
Katelyn: What were your inspirations for the character?
Dominic: I think if anyone would put on this costume and prosthetic, you would’ve felt the character’s tone and demeanor. Whether you were an actor or not, you would’ve felt the unapologetic deviance and you would’ve ran with it. Once you have that as your canvas and base, then you follow the scenario and circumstance. The story will show you what side you are on with a specific subject. When you know that, you have all the inspiration you need to carry out the character 110%. Also, add in the pride and honor of being in a Star Wars scene, and you also have conviction.
Katelyn: Star Wars is a long storyline, encompassing several generations. Did you watch the films or speak to anyone involved with the other films/shows for continuity?
Dominic: I wish I could tell you my character has that sort of arc where that would be needed, but it didn’t. Personally, I have seen every episode and some of the Clone Wars and Rebels, but the scenario of my scenes would’ve been enough for any actor to have gotten through them.
Katelyn: What was it like to work with Dave Filoni?
Dominic: Polite, professional, and a true leader. His demeanor is friendly as is Jon’s. There was no Michael Bay/ James Cameron yelling whatsoever. Lol. It was a true honor being on that set. Every cast and crew member deserved to be there as production was fluid and sound.
Katelyn: Who forgot their lines the most?
Dominic: No one. Consistency at this level and all the actors were on top of their game.
Katelyn: What was it like having George Lucas visit the set?
Dominic: I met him before at a charity but to see him in his own element, along with being part of his imagination was absolutely priceless. It was such an honor to be a part of this.
Katelyn: What can we expect from The Mandalorian?
Dominic: Jon and David love Star Wars just as much as all the fans if not more. Combine with a 100 plus million dollar budget from Disney and I believe the subscribers are in for something very special.
Final Thoughts:
The Mandalorian premieres on Disney+ on Nov 12 in the US and March 31st 2020 in the UK.
The team at Future of the Force are super-excited for The Mandalorian and we would like to take this opportunity to express our gratitude to Dominic Pace for granting this exclusive interview. For more about the series click our archive link here and follow Dominic’s adventures on Twitter here: @DominicPPace.
May The Force Be With You
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Katelyn Mathis is a Senior Staff Writer for Future of the Force. She is a passionate Star Wars fan and is the go-to source for Force Knowledge. Follow her on Twitter @ForceKnowledge where she uses the force frequently!
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