Jeremy Allen White Opens Up About His Transformation Into Rotta the Hutt in THE MANDALORIAN AND GROGU
The Mandalorian and Grogu is bringing Star Wars fans back to a galaxy far, far away, this time on the big screen. Din Djarin and Grogu’s next adventure will feature an interesting new character, and it’s one that connects directly to one of the saga’s most notorious crime families.
Jabba the Hutt’s son, Rotta the Hutt, is making his live-action debut, and he’s being played by The Bear star Jeremy Allen White.
Fans may remember Rotta as the baby Huttlet from The Clone Wars, voiced by David Acord, but this time around, he’s all grown up, and apparently jacked. White recently sat down with Happy Sad Confused podcast to talk about how he got the role, what it was like stepping into the world of Star Wars, and just how much his part has evolved since he first signed on.
"[Director Jon Favreau] made it seem very chill. He was like, 'You're going to play Jabba the Hutt's son. You'll come in, it's just voice stuff, you know, we're not going to take any scans, you're not going to do any of that stuff. Just come in for half a day and read some stuff.'"
"And I was like, 'Yeah, absolutely.' But they hadn't shot any of the movie yet, really, so I'm just kind of reading some stuff, trying to put it together," he continued.
"I remember calling him the night before. I was watching some of the movies before, getting ready, but I was like, 'Is there anything in particular you want me to watch or really, like, learn? Is there something I should know?'"
"And he was like, 'No, just come on in and do the thing.' I was like 'What kind of vocal work do you want me to do?' and I was doing some stuff, but he’s like, 'We’re gonna mess with it!' You know. I haven’t seen the film so it’s hard to talk about it too much," the actor added.
A year later, Favreau called him back in, and that’s when things got a little more interesting.
"They shot the movie, and he was like, 'We've got some more stuff for you to do,'" White explained. "And I think I realized that they really fleshed that character out a little bit and I might be in more of that movie than I had realized originally."
It’s been reported that Rotta’s role may be more substantial than expected, possibly tying into The Mandalorian and Grogu’s larger story about the shifting power in the galaxy after Jabba’s death. With rumors pointing to the Twins, Jabba’s cousins, as the main villains, Rotta could find himself caught in the middle of a Hutt power struggle.
While plot details remain under wraps, the film picks up after the fall of the Empire, with the New Republic struggling to maintain control. Din Djarin and Grogu are once again called upon to restore balance in a galaxy still haunted by Imperial remnants. Whether Moff Gideon or Snoke’s shadowy legacy factors in is still unclear, but I’m excited to see how the story plays out.
Directed by Jon Favreau, with Kathleen Kennedy, Dave Filoni, and Ian Bryce producing, the movie will feature music from Ludwig Göransson, returning to the franchise after scoring the original Disney+ series.
The Mandalorian and Grogu also sets the stage for Filoni’s highly anticipated crossover event film, which will unite characters from Ahsoka, The Book of Boba Fett, and beyond.
The Mandalorian and Grogu opens exclusively in theaters on May 22, 2026, filmed for IMAX and promising to deliver a thrilling Star Wars adventure.