Star Wars' Joonas Suotamo has been unveiled as the archvillain of Willow, which premiered on Disney+ this week.
Standing 6 feet 11 inches tall, the Finnish actor officially replaced the late Peter Mayhew under the Chewbacca suit from The Last Jedi onwards, following a body double role in The Force Awakens two years prior.
Now, chatting to LucasFilm.com, he's opened up about his latest role as The Scourge.
Related: Willow is better than Rings of Power and other fantasy shows in one particular way
What can only be described as a golem-esque monstrosity trapped inside a Jigsaw death device, "this sinister being" uses The Gales as his "lackeys" in the show, and "through some dark magic, they've become these really unnaturally strong fighters".
Recalling how he came to be cast, Suotamo said Solo: A Star Wars Story co-writer Jon Kasdan (who showruns Willow) reached out regarding this "beastly, muscular" character.
"Jon messaged me and said, 'I might have a role for you if you're interested,' and it ended up being a fantastic experience."
Related: Willow boss reveals what the show does that the film couldn't
The Scourge proved to be a completely different animal to the galaxy far, far away's iconic Wookie.
"Compared to Chewie, the costume was a lot more to put on. I had a team of people following me with different gadgets and gloves and the cage," added Suotamo.
Every morning before the day's shooting began, he'd sit in a makeup chair for between two and three hours, with a team of artists glueing silicone material to his face, all while wearing a muscle suit.
Related: Willow's Ellie Bamber reacts to episode 1's surprise twist
Evil runs deeper than just visual aesthetics though, as the star explained: "It was new territory for me. I'd grown accustomed to playing these lovable moments, and all of a sudden, that's not my job at all.
"There were a lot of times I would be in the dark, rehearsing my violent outbursts in the suit."
Willow episodes one and two are available to watch now on Disney+ with new episodes dropping weekly on Wednesdays.
Best Entertainment and Tech Deals
