Star Wars is filled with iconic villains, and one that draws immediate interest from viewers is Darth Maul. Maul is one of the greatest Star Wars villains, emerging from the shadows to tell the Galactic Republic that the Sith had returned. He was formerly a Sith apprentice of Darth Sidious, a.k.a. Emperor Palpatine, before becoming a feared crime lord. The character entered legendary status among fans based on his image in the trailers alone, where he looked like a villain that stepped out of nightmares. His physical features such as his red skin and horns resembling the devil made him an eye-catching new character in one of the most anticipated film releases of all time.

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Maul was originally killed off in his first film appearance at the end of Episode I: The Phantom Menace. But there was more story left to tell with the character, with Maul making a return in the animated series, Star Wars: The Clone Wars. He continued his quest for power and sought revenge against Obi-Wan Kenobi, whom he deemed his archenemy. That quest led to appearances in Solo: A Star Wars Story and Star Wars Rebels.

Updated October 21st, 2022: This list has been updated with more information regarding the talented performers who have brought Darth Maul to life across the Star Wars franchise.

Franchise creator George Lucas had originally chosen Maul as the main villain of his Star Wars sequel trilogy, but Lucas’ version of those films were never produced. Nonetheless, it showed just how important Maul was to the entire Star Wars franchise. With the hope the character will appear again in some other form be it in a new animated or live-action series, fans cannot get enough of Maul. Maul has had not one, but multiple actors that have brought him to life in live-action and animation. Here is a look at all the actors that have played the deadly Force-sensitive warrior.

Ray Park

     20th Century FoxLucasfilm Ltd.

Ray Park has remained the only actor to physically portray the Star Wars villain. All other actors have only provided their voices for Maul. With Maul being among the galaxy’s most skilled combatants, Ray Park’s martial arts background made him an ideal casting choice for the role. Park was a member of the British national wushu team during the 90s and has practiced other martial arts including Northern Shaolin Kung Fu. For the final season of Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Park provided the motion capture for Maul in his epic duel with Ahsoka Tano.

Park first appeared in Episode I: The Phantom Menace and later had a cameo in Solo: A Star Wars Story. Emilia Clarke’s Qi’ra contacted the leader of Crimson Dawn after killing Dryden Vos, who was revealed to be Maul. Despite physically portraying Maul, Park has never voiced the character. The same year that The Phantom Menace was released in theaters, Maul also played the Headless Horseman in Tim Burton’s Sleepy Hallow, and the following year appeared as Toad in X-Men where he even does a little homage to Darth Maul twirling a metal pipe. Park has since played Snake Eyes, another elite warrior in G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra and G.I. Joe: Retaliation. Like Maul and the Headless Horseman, the character is another physical performance where Park does not speak.

Peter Serafinowicz

Before Maul became a deranged, talkative crime lord screaming Kenobi’s name in external media, he was of the strong-and-silent type in Episode I: The Phantom Menace. The only character Maul spoke to throughout the entire film was Palpatine. Darth Maul only had three lines in The Phantom Menace, with one of them being “yes, my master.” The hilarious Peter Serafinowicz spoke these lines in the English-language versions of the Star Wars prequel.

The actor has been best known for playing the titular character in the Prime Video series The Tick and co-creating and starring in the oddball comedy series Look Around You, as well as the role of Pete in Edgar Wright’s Shaun of the Dead. Maul’s appearances in the Star Wars franchise after The Phantom Menace primarily used Sam Witwer’s voice. However, Serafinowicz revealed in a Collider podcast that Lucasfilm had brought him back for Solo: A Star Wars Story. Serafinowicz recorded lines as Maul for the film but later learned that he was replaced by Sam Witwer in the final cut.

Sam Witwer

     Lucasfilm Ltd.

The most recognized voice of Maul throughout the Star Wars franchise has definitely been the voice of Sam Witwer. Witwer did not provide the voice for Maul in Episode I: The Phantom Menace, but it was his voice that fans heard in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Star Wars Rebels, Solo: A Star Wars Story, Lego Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Out, and Lego Star Wars: Terrifying Tales. He also voiced the Mortis Son and Emperor Palpatine in Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels.

Peter Serafinowicz spoke less than five lines as Maul, while Ray Park was limited to facial expressions and fight choreography. This left Witwer plenty of room to truly put his stamp on Maul and expand the character. Star Wars: The Clone Wars explored Maul’s familial relationships with Savage Opress, Mother Talzin, and the Nightsisters of Dathomir. Maul was consumed with his own rage and vengeance, but there was so much more to the character that Witwer and the writers brought to the table. While Park defined Maul’s movements, and Serafinowicz laid down the template for Maul’s voice, in many ways Witwer had defined the character for the past decade and truly reimagined him into a villain far beyond his role in The Phantom Menace.

Ben Prendergast

     LEGO GroupLucasfilm Ltd.

While not canon, it is a worthy mention to the list. Disney released the LEGO Star Wars Holiday Special in late 2020, which featured the appearance of a LEGO Darth Maul. The non-canon short film had Rey jumping through time and space to meet characters from previous Star Wars film eras. A bisected Darth Maul struggled to move across Tatooine, announcing an “ahem” before the LEGO mini-figures of the light side and dark side engaged in battle. Actor Ben Prendergast did not have any other lines, but he only had two lines less than what Darth Maul had in The Phantom Menace.

Lee Tockar

The animated LEGO Star Wars television miniseries, LEGO Star Wars: Droid Tales and LEGO Star Wars: The Yoda Chronicles, had Canadian actor Lee Tockar voice Darth Maul. Droid Tales revisited Episode I: The Phantom Menace, retelling the film’s events utilizing the classic LEGO-style of humor. Lee Tockar’s Darth Maul was overconfident and quickly defeated by Obi-Wan. The Yoda Chronicles gave viewers more of the same, featuring a sillier version of the Dathomirian Sith apprentice. Tockar might not be the voice most people think of for Darth Maul, but for some these might be their first exposure to Star Wars, so he very much might be the first voice they hear for Darth Maul.