‘Star Wars’ Actor Andrew Jack Dead at 76 From Coronavirus Complications

Actor Andrew Jack has reportedly died due of complications from COVID-19 — the coronavirus. Jack was a well-known dialect coach in Hollywood, as well as an actor in two of the most recent Star Wars movies. He was 76 years old.

Jack’s passing was reported by Enertainment Weekly on Tuesday. The outlet got confirmation of Jack’s death from his agent, Jill McCullough, who said that he had passed that morning at St. Peter’s Hospital in Chertsey, England. He had been diagnosed with COVID-19 before his passing. Because of the global pandemic, a funeral may not be possible for Jack.

Jack is most recognizable to many fans as Major Ematt from Star Wars. He played the role in 2015’s Star Wars: The Force Awakens and 2017’s Star Wars: The Last Jedi. He also had a voice role in Solo: A Star Wars Story. His co-star Joonas Suotamo — who played Chewbacca — posted a tribute to Jack on Twitter on Tuesday.

“Today we learned that a member of our Star Wars family, Andrew Jack, passed away due to complications from COVID-19,” Suotamo wrote. “In addition to playing Major Ematt in The Force Awakens, his work as a dialect coach on TFA, Solo, & other SW films revealed a man who was passionate & caring for both his work and those around him. My thoughts are with his family and friends.”

McCullough told reporters that Jack’s wife, Gabrielle Rogers, is also in quarantine right now in Australia. Many fans sent their thoughts her way during this unthinkable tragedy.

“He had been a dialect coach for many years and was one of those people who promoted mentoring and supporting younger coaches and he was a pioneer in our industry — in that he demonstrated to producers that we were a necessary department and that the job was important,” McCullough said.

“He loved his work and was funny, charming, and a joy to be around,” she went on. “He was a friend first and a client second, and I will miss doing silly voices and pissing around with him on set. Dialect coaching isn’t just about being good at accents, you need to make your actors feel safe and confident, and Andrew’s actors absolutely adored him.”

While fans may recognize Jack from some Star Wars movies, they are undoubtedly more familiar with his work as a dialect coach. He worked with actors on movies like Men in Black: International, The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Thor: Ragnarok and two of the Avengers movies. He worked with Christian Bale to perfect his voice for Batman Begins and was scheduled to work with Robert Pattinson on DC’s upcoming The Batman.

For the latest on the coronavirus pandemic, visit the CDC’s website.