Sad news today. It is being reported that Star Wars actor and dialogue coach Andrew Jack has passed away due to complications from Coronavirus. He died in a hospital just outside London. He was 76 years old. He was currently working with director Matt Reeves on the upcoming DC Comics adventure The Batman as a dialect coach. Production on that movie was recently put on hold.
Andrew Jack’s wife Gabrielle Rogers was stuck in quarantine at the time of Andrew Jack’s death. Representative Jill McCullough had this to say about the Star Wars actor and dialect coach’s passing.
“He died this morning of Covid-19 & at St Peter’s Hospital, Chertsey. Andrew lived on one the oldest working houseboats on the& Thames, he was fiercely independent but madly in love with his wife; also a dialect coach; Gabrielle Rogers. Tragically she is stuck in quarantine in Australia having just flown in from NZ last week. She was unable to see or talk to him at the end of his life and there is a chance a funeral may not be held.”
Andrew Jack got his star in the business way back in 1982. And he has since appeared in or worked on over 80 movies, some of them huge blockbusters of the time. He is perhaps best known on screen as Resistance Major Caluan Ematt in The Force Awakens. He returned, as a General this time, in The Last Jedi. He also worked both in front of and behind the camera on Solo, where he voiced Lady Proxima’s henchman Moloch.
Solo co-director Christopher Miller worked with Andrew Jack before Miller was fired from the production. He left a tribute on social media, saying this about his friend.
“Andrew Jack was the dialect coach on Solo, and a kind and thoughtful man. We asked him to teach Alden to speak Shyriiwook, and I’ll always remember listening to them gargle-roar at each other back and forth.”
Among the 200+ actors Andrew Jack worked closely with, Robert Downey Jr. is at the top of the list. The two collaborated on Chaplin, Restoration, Sherlock Holmes and& Dolittle, which just came out earlier this year. He also worked with Pierce Brosnan on his run of James Bond movies including GoldenEye, Tomorrow Never Dies and Die Another Day.
Andrew Jack also created the Middle-earth Elvish and Black Speech& accents, working with Cate Blanchett and Viggo Mortensen on that Peter Jackson Trilogy. He more recently worked with Chris Hemsworth on Marvel movies Thor: Ragnarok, Avengers: Infinity War, Avengers: Endgame and Men in Black International.
Other big movies that Andrew Jack was involved with included Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade,& The Last of the Mohicans,& Sexy Beast,& Cold Mountain, Troy,& Batman Begins,& Captain America: The First Avenger,& The World’s End& and& Guardians of the Galaxy. Greg Grunberg, who played Snap Wexley in The Force Awakens and The Rise of Skywalker had this to say about the passing of his friend and co-star.
“Devastated to hear of the passing of the wonderful, talented, beloved gentleman #AndrewJack. He is one of the kindest people I’ve ever worked with. Please stay safe. Please stay home!!! #RIPAndrewJack.”
Joonas Suotamo, who took over the role of Chewbacca during production on The Force Awakens from Peter Mayhew worked with Andrew Jack on Solo. He had this to say about the actor and dialect coach.
“Today we learned that a member of our Star Wars family, Andrew Jack, passed away due to complications from COVID-19. 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…”
We’re sorry to hear about Andrew Jack during this time hardship all throughout the world. He will be remembered as a beloved member of the Star Wars family and for his work in so many blockbuster movies. Rest in Peace. This news was first reported by Metro.
