Katee Sackhoff, known for recently playing Bo-Katan Kryze in The Mandalorian, revealed that the role left her struggling with confidence and nearly three years without work.
On her podcast The Sackhoff Show, she spoke with former Battlestar Galactica co-star Tahmoh Penikett about how difficult it was to portray Bo-Katan in live-action after voicing her in Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Rebels.
Sackhoff on Struggling With Bo-Katan
“I lost all of my confidence after Mandalorian, all of it,” Sackhoff said. “I’ve always played two steps removed from myself, in a sense. Bo-Katan is nowhere near who I am as a human being. Her life, what she wants — I didn’t understand her. I never identified with her. I didn’t know how to find her.”
She explained that her instinct-driven approach to acting didn’t connect with the role. “My style has always been, ‘Your first instinct is the right instinct. Play the reality of the situation.’ And I’ve never really played a character like this.”
“It Just Broke Me”
After starring alongside Pedro Pascal in The Mandalorian Seasons 2 and 3, Sackhoff said she struggled to land auditions.
“It broke me. It just broke me,” she admitted. “I started doubting everything about myself. I’m not a strong auditioner on tape, and I wasn’t booking anything. For three years, I basically didn’t work, and it just destroyed my confidence.”
Finding Confidence Again
Sackhoff eventually hired a new manager and acting coach who helped her rebuild. “My goal is not to teach you how to act. You know how to act,” her coach told her. “You just need to find your confidence again.”
Since then, Sackhoff has returned to screen work, including an appearance on Law & Order in 2024, voice acting in Star Wars: Tales of the Empire, and joining the cast of Prime Video’s upcoming Carrie series from Mike Flanagan.
“I trust Mike,” she said on her podcast. “I’ve relinquished control and I trust Mike, ’cause I’ve worked with him before and I know he’s amazing. I don’t know if I trust myself yet.”
