What Maz Kanata from Star Wars Looks Like in Reality

Best known for her performances in films like “12 Years a Slave” and “Non-Stop” before joining the “Star Wars” universe, Lupita Nyong’o brought excitement to fans when she was cast in the epic franchise. However, her role remained a surprise for many, as Nyong’o’s character in “The Force Awakens,” Maz Kanata, looks nothing like the actress herself. Unlike Maz, who stands at a mere 4 feet, Nyong’o is considerably taller at 5’5″. Motion capture technology was employed to bring Maz to life, integrating Nyong’o’s facial structure into the character, although they appear entirely different.

Maz Kanata’s appearance is chiefly influenced by her age and wrinkles, presenting a stark contrast to Nyong’o, who was just over 32 years old at the time. Playing a character marked as thousands of years old, Kanata stands as one of the oldest entities in the “Star Wars” universe. For the Oscar-winning actress, embodying Kanata was a challenging experience, not only because it was her first venture into a significant franchise but also her debut in motion capture acting. “The whole process was very challenging,” she openly shared with The Source. “Just getting used to the fact I wasn’t gonna be in costume […] It’s an added challenge to the imagination to keep in mind who you are in your character and how that body would navigate and relationships.”

Nyong’o continued to portray Maz Kanata in the subsequent sequels of the franchise and lent her voice to the character in the animated series “Star Wars Forces of Destiny.” Her journey with motion capture did not end with “Star Wars”; she returned to this complex form of acting in the 2016 film “The Jungle Book.”