It's been a heck of a week for Star Wars fans with the release of the highly-anticipated new Disney+ series Obi-Wan Kenobi on Friday, and more projects announced across the whole of the Star Wars Celebration event in Anaheim, California over the weekend.
One bounty hunter, in particular, attended on its last day of Star Wars fandom; Boba Fett, aka Māori-Hollywood actor Temuera Morrison.
After being announced by event host Krystina Arielle, Morrison (Te Arawa, Ngāti Whakaue, Ngāti Maniapoto, Ngāti Rarua) entered the only way he knows how: Māori-style, by way of waewae nuku (footwork) moves and pūkana to the many fans in attendance.
After a raucous crowd reception, Morrison thanked the fans and invited them back to Aotearoa.
"Thank you for supporting The Book of Boba Fett and much love to all of you guys. Thank you again, from the bottom of my heart," he says.
“I came the longest way from New Zealand so, if you miss me here, come down to New Zealand. Just say Boba Fett sent you and you’re allowed in.”
Both Fetts
It's been a busy couple of years for Morrison after being reintroduced into the Star Wars world as Boba Fett, whose character was last seen being swallowed into a sarlaac in Episode VI: Return of The Jedi.
Having previously starred as Boba's father Jango Fett in Episode II: Attack of the Clones, Morrison has since played Boba in many episodes of The Mandalorian series and has had his own Disney+ series The Book of Boba Fett, created by Jon Favreau and directed by Dave Filoni.
“Because I had so much fun playing Jango Fett, I thought I would do a better job for Boba Fett so they [Jon and Dave] gave me that opportunity.
Morrison also acknowledged the original Boba Fett actor Jeremy Bulloch.
“Moe mai e te rangatira, haere koe, haere i runga tō maunga, tō awa hoki. Moe mai rā, Jeremy. Tēnā koe.”
Morrison mentioned how, as part of the opportunity to be in Star Wars again, he needed to get into shape.
Ka Mate
“I worked hard on the physical side. Because I had to go into the bacta tank and they were going to see the [upper-half] of my body, so I had to do bench press and some curls.
“I tried to cut back on the beers so the stomach wouldn’t be out too far, because some of these fans were calling me Boba Fat,” he jokes.
Morrison then proceeded to serenade the audience, singing the classic Drift Away originally recorded by John Henry Kurtz.
But, moving from one performance to another, Morrison then closed his Q&A by way of performing Ka Mate, making as grand an exit as he entered: Māori style.
It is unknown whether a second season of The Book of Boba Fett is in the works but it wasn't his last appearance in the Star Wars universe. Morrison made a cameo appearance (spoiler alert) most recently in the second episode of the limited series Obi-Wan Kenobi, playing a clone trooper begging Kenobi for credits.
The Book of Boba Fett's first season is available to watch on Disney+.