Mike Quinn (born 1964) is an English actor, animator, and puppeteer best known for performing Nien Nunb in Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi, Star Wars: Episode VII The Force Awakens and Star Wars: Episode VIII The Last Jedi. For Return of the Jedi, he also performed Ree-Yees and Sy Snootles, and assisted with Yoda, Ackbar, a Wokling, Jabba's electronic eyes, Ghoel, and Loje Nella. He also worked as an animator on Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones.
While working on the 1982 film Dark Crystal at Elstree Studios, Quinn got word that puppeteers were being sought for Return of the Jedi. He joined the movie after talking to producer Robert Watts. Nien Nunb's mask wasn't going to be articulated until Quinn suggested that Nunb would be used as a puppet. In the shots with Nunb in the Millennium Falcon, Quinn was wedged underneath the puppet. He laid flat on his back with only a small TV monitor to see what the camera was shooting. Quinn also puppeteered a B-wing pilot in a deleted scene. There was no dialogue in the script, so Quinn used his improvisational skills by making up some lines about not getting his favorite radio station in space.[1]
Sources
"In the Star Wars Universe" — Star Wars Insider 47
Much to Learn You Still Have: 7 Things You Might Not Know About Sullustans on StarWars.com (backup link)
Star Wars Celebration LIVE! 2023 - DAY 4 on the official Star Wars YouTube channel (backup link)
Notes and references
External links
- Official website (backup link)
Mike Quinn on Views From The Cockpit — Mike Quinn's StarWars.com Blog (original site is defunct)
Mike Quinn (puppeteer) on Wikipedia
Mike Quinn at the Internet Movie Database- Mike Quinn (Nien Nunb) by Dennis Pellegrom on Star Wars Interviews (2006) (original article now obsolete)