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Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker arrived back in December, and ended the franchise as we know it. J.J. Abrams crafted a dense blockbuster, which wrapped up the sequel trilogy and the nine-film narrative that began with A New Hope. While the movie focused on the heroes of the sequels and OG trilogy, there were also a few newcomers introduced throughout its 142-minute runtime. One such character was the tiny and delightful Babu Frik, who quickly stole the show during his brief appearance working on C-3PO. And it turns out that the actress actually formulated a long backstory for the little guy.
Babu Frik was voiced and puppeteered by actress Shirley Henderson, who movie fans will know as Moaning Myrtle from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Henderson learned how to puppeteer the character in order to properly inhabit Babu Frik and be able to improvise during his scenes in The Rise of Skywalker. And it turns out that she also developed a detailed backstory for the character. So bring on the Disney+ spinoff! As the actress tells it,
Beyond the film, Babu has lived a life. Somewhere out there is a lost love. He thinks about her sometimes when he sits down in his workshop and lets his thoughts drift away. That’s what I think, anyway.
I'm not crying, you're crying. It looks like Babu Frik has been around the galaxy once or twice, having his own pint sized adventures along the way. That includes losing his one truly love, which will likely inspire plenty of fan theories from the Star Wars community. At least until that story is fleshed out in another way.
Shirley Henderson's comments to Vanity Fair highlights just how much work she put into her role in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. While Babu Frik wasn't exactly a leading player in the massive blockbuster, the 54 year-old actress applied all of her skills to bringing him to life-- including a few she didn't even possess yet. I don't know about you, but I'm dying to hear more about Babu's backstory, including his personal life.
Star Wars fans can re-watch Baby Frik in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker over on Disney+. You can use this link for a free 7-day trial to the streaming service.
Babu Frik popped up briefly in the second act of The Rise of Skywalker, but made a big impression. He immediately received adoration from moviegoers for his adorable appearance and voice, as well as his hilarious bits of dialogue. And with the franchise constantly expanding, maybe he could pop up in a future project.
As a reminder, you can check out Babu Frik in Episode IX below.
How can you not love this little guy? The Star Wars franchise is known for its adorable creatures. While The Last Jedi was all about those adorable porgs, The Rise of Skywalker gave that particular honor to Babu Frik. His introduction came on the heels of Baby Yoda aka The Child in The Mandalorian, which managed to dominate pop culture once the series arrived on Disney+. And while Babu gave the little green alien a run for his money, Baby Yoda continues to capture the hearts of the general public.
It's currently unclear when the Star Wars franchise will return to theaters, although there are a few projects in the earliest stages of development. The Last Jedi's Rian Johnson should be working on his own flick, although that movie's timeline is unclear-- especially as Knives Out is getting a sequel. It was also announced that Taika Waititi will be writing and directing his own Star Wars movie, although he'll presumably work on Thor: Love and Thunder before getting to work on that project.
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is currently available on DVD and Blu-ray, as well as Disney+. Be sure to check out our 2020 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.
