Actress Sigourney Weaver will play Colonel Ward, a New Republic officer in The Mandalorian and Grogu. According to her, Jon Favreau designed her character as a veteran of the same generation as Princess Leia, someone who fought against the Empire and now must make quick decisions based on instinct. Weaver highlights the need to trust beings like Din Djarin and Grogu, despite their unconventional appearance, and feels honored to join the legacy of strong women in the saga.
Military instinct and character design in the post-Empire era 🚀
Colonel Ward represents a New Republic under construction, where officers must operate with limited resources and quick judgments. Weaver notes that her character has no time for bureaucratic doubts; she must evaluate potential allies in seconds. This approach reflects the development of plots where loyalty is earned through actions, not credentials. The actress compares the dynamic to fieldwork: trusting a Mandalorian and a green child is not logical, but sometimes instinct overrides protocol.
When your boss is a legend and your partner is an alien baby 👶
Weaver admits that her character has to process absurd situations with a straight face. Imagine being an officer and your best ally is a 50-year-old child who only says Iiiish. The actress jokes about how Ward must maintain professionalism while an armored bounty hunter and his green pet solve her problems. At least, she says, she doesn't have to clean the ship's mess hall after Grogu tries to cook.