Star Wars: What Boss Nass From Episode I Looks Like In Real Life

If there's one thing that George Lucas's Star Wars prequels do well, it's the way they open up the galaxy to brand new planets, cultures, and alien lifeforms. "Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace" may not be a perfect film, but the inclusion of characters like Boss Nass, as silly as they may be at times, ushered in a whole new era for the franchise. If this Naboo-based Gungan leader (the same species as Jar Jar Binks) — with his booming vocals, erratic temper, and slimy exterior — sounds familiar to you, it's probably because you've seen actor Brian Blessed in other material before.

Having appeared in over 200 different productions throughout his career, from movies and television to video games and short films, Blessed has an animated quality to himself that extends emphatically to his roles. In the case of Boss Nass, it's not hard to see Blessed's energetic cadence behind the character, a part he'd reprise in the "Lego Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Out" TV movie and the "Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga" video game. Blessed is also known for his hilarious impressions of other Star Wars characters, such as Darth Vader, Emperor Palpatine, and Old Ben Kenobi. 

While Boss Nass is possibly Blessed's most famous performance, he's also known for his roles as Prince Vultan the 1980 "Flash Gordon" film, the voice of William Clayton in Disney's "Tarzan," and as the titular King Lear in the 1999 film (which he also directed).

When compared to Boss Nass, Brian Blessed certainly has more hair (and is quite a bit more handsome). Though, his normal speaking voice isn't too far off from the Gungan ruler's. Okay, it's a bit more British, but there's still a booming constitution to it that instantly sets him apart from everyone else in the room. But how does Blessed feel about Boss Nass after all these years? Well, from the sound of it, he couldn't have been happier to have played a part in "The Phantom Menace."

Originally, George Lucas wanted Blessed to play "a Jedi called Bibbles," the actor revealed to Empire (most likely actually meaning Naboo Governor Sio Bibble). However, upon meeting with the director, it was decided that wasn't the right role. Lucas believed Blessed to have "too much energy" for that character, and instead found a new part for him in Boss Nass, which he encouraged the actor to make his own. "George said, 'Can you do something for me, Brian? Can you do something totally original? A special effect of some kind?,'" Blessed recalled. "I remember going, 'MEEEEESAH LIKA DISS!' And I did this huge, wonderful wobble with my face." Lucas was enamored by his commitment to the part, as were we.

"I have never known such ecstasy, artistically," Blessed concluded, remembering how Star Wars fans showed up to support him when "Tarzan" was first released in 1999. Turns out, nobody could have played Boss Nass like Brian Blessed, and George Lucas knew it all along.

To read more about the Star Wars prequels, check out what happened to the cast of "The Phantom Menace."