The Ahsoka family have been rocked by the unexpected death of costume designer Shawna Trpcic, aged 56.
Days after the Disney+ series ended, Trpcic’s death was confirmed by her agency Gersh as well as Lucasfilm. A cause of death is unknown.
Trpic, whose forte was science fiction, started her career as an illustrator, and worked on Barry Levinson’s films Bugsy and Toys, the latter for which she was promoted to the role of assistant to costume designer Albert Wolsky.
Throughout her career, Trpcic collaborated regularly with Joss Whedon on his TV shows Angel, Firefly and Dollhouse, as well as the film The Cabin the Woods, which Whedon produced.
It was after receiving an invite to tour Skywalker Ranch by a fan of her work on Firefly, that her working relationship with Lucasfilm was set in motion. She met George Lucas and, 15 years later, was hired as The Mandalorian’s costume designer.
She worked closely Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni, and received an Emmy nomination for her work on The Mandalorian seasons two and three, and also The Book of Boba Fett. Her most recent credit was Ahsoka.
Lucasfilm wrote in tribute to Trpcic: “[Trpcic] was considered something of a Star Wars historian by her peers, reading every making-of book she could find to better understand the techniques used in the films during various eras.”
Filoni said: “Shawna had a deep love and appreciation for Star Wars. You can see that in every piece of work she did with us. She loved everything about being a part of these stories, including connecting with fans and being a part of that community.
“I feel like she has always been a part of Star Wars. Her costumes tell a story, providing the suggestion of a life experience that happened before the cameras rolled. I loved collaborating with Shawna, and I will miss her presence.”
Favreau also paid tribute, stating: “Her creativity brought this world to life. She will be deeply missed both as a friend and as a colleague.”
Shawna Trpcic has died, aged 56— (Getty Images for Disney)
A fundraising page has been set up on behalf of Trpic’s two children, Joseph and Sarah Trpcic.
The cast of the Star Wars spin-off Ahsoka are also paying tribute to the late Ray Stevenson following his final appearance on the series.
Stevenson, an actor known for his roles in King Arthur, Punisher: War Zone and Marvel’s Thor films, died in May, aged 58.
In Ahsoka, he played Baylan Skoll, a lightsaber-wielding Dark Jedi who features prominently throughout the first season.
Co-stars shared tributes to the actor following the season finale’s release on Disney+ this week.
