- Primary Subject: Peter Serafinowicz as Darth Maul in Star Wars: The Phantom Menace
- Key Update: Original Darth Maul voice actor Peter Serafinowicz recently revealed his deep disappointment with The Phantom Menace.
- Status: Confirmed
- Last Verified: June 19, 2026
- Quick Answer: The original voice actor felt let down by the character's design and low pay, calling the prequel experience a major disappointment.
Peter Serafinowicz, who originally voiced Darth Maul, recently opened up about his "disappointment" in playing the role in Star Wars: The Phantom Menace.
Since his debut in 1999, the dark side villain has become one of the beloved fan-favorite characters in the Star Wars franchise. Aside from appearances in various TV shows, he even starred in his own animated series, Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord, which premiered earlier this year.
However, for the actor who originally voiced him, he found it to be disappointing.
Why Peter Serafinowicz Called the Role of Darth Maul a "Disappointment"
In a recent interview on the Classic Clown podcast (via Variety), Peter Serafinowicz reflected on his experience voicing Darth Maul in Star Wars: The Phantom Menace.
He admitted that he was not a fan of the character's design, and he felt a "disappointment" when he watched the film.
"It was weird. This character Darth Maul… I don’t know what I thought. The design of it… I wasn’t that into it. When I saw the film, it was the biggest disappointment of my life at that point. It really was," the actor said.
"I mean, have you seen it? It was so exciting that even being in it... doing this thing, what I thought would be this iconic thing. Just unimaginable.. I guess it sort of is [iconic]. I suppose."
Serafinowicz also recalled the moment when George Lucas called him the "new James Earl Jones," but he rejected the label due to his dissatisfaction with the pay.
He added, "James Earl Jones has got the best voice of any human ever, right? Then, suddenly, there I was with George Lucas, and he was like saying, ‘Well, Peter, you’re the new James Earl Jones,’ and I was like, ‘F***ing hell, am I? Then why are you paying me such s*** money, George?"
Serafinowicz's tenure as the voice of Darth Maul did not last long. He was replaced by Sam Witwer, who would voice the character starting in Star Wars: The Clone Wars and remains the voice actor to this day.
What Next for the Star Wars Franchise on Television
Fans can look forward to the release of the second season of Ahsoka. It is currently slated to premiere on Disney+ in early 2027. The main cast from the first season is set to return.
Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord recently ended its first season to acclaim from fans and critics. A second season is currently in the works.
There is no word yet on whether Lucasfilm will develop more new Star Wars live-action shows in the future, especially in the aftermath of the leadership change at the studio.
It also remains unknown whether there are plans to develop a fourth season of The Mandalorian following the release of The Mandalorian and Grogu.
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