Claudia Black Reveals Why She Had to Leave Ahsoka: “Disney Couldn’t Pay Me”

Claudia Black, known for her iconic roles in science fiction, has opened up about why she won’t return as Mother Klothow in the Star Wars live-action series Ahsoka.

Black has built a notable career in Hollywood with standout performances in the Riddick films, including Pitch Black (2000), the hit sci-fi show Farscape, and a late run on Stargate SG-1 alongside Ben Browder. She has also lent her voice to major video game franchises such as Mass Effect, Dragon Age, Diablo III, and Uncharted.

Speaking to Bleeding Cool while promoting her role in the upcoming Starz series Spartacus: House of Ashur, Black reflected on her time in the Star Wars universe. In Ahsoka, she played the Nightsister Klothow, who worked with Grand Admiral Thrawn (Lars Mikkelsen) and assisted Morgan Elsbeth (Diana Lee Inosanto) in her final confrontation with Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson).

“They picked up season two, picked me up with it, and then Disney, which is structuring things differently these days, could not pay me what I needed to be paid as a single mother to keep all my responsibilities going at home in Los Angeles, because they were filming in London,” Black explained. “It was not something that they could make happen, and therefore, I had to bow out for season two.”

Black expressed her gratitude for being part of the franchise. “It was very sad for me. I sent an email to Dave Filoni thanking him, and I said, ‘What a ride!’ Everyone like me who grew up in the 70s and 80s has always been into the Star Wars universe, and it’s a very playful environment to work in. I’m grateful that I got to be in that universe, lovely people, lovely directors, interesting to work on ‘The Volume.’”

She also shared her fascination with the show’s innovative technology. “I was fascinated by it, bugged them with questions about how it worked, and how they were able to render in real time while we were standing on the set, and the background was changing with us. It was extraordinary. It was a fun, playful space to be in, and people who wanted to be there were excited to be part of the Star Wars universe.”

Working on Ahsoka was also a personal experience for Black, allowing her to connect with her son’s love for the Star Wars universe. “It was fun to do something that was relatable to my younger son, who was passionate about The Clone Wars, which was the new iteration for his generation,” she said.

Black summed up her departure with realism about the industry. “They could not, sadly, support a single mom, and I’m very sad about that, but I also understand market forces being what they are, and the very delicate time in the business to even be able to afford to make anything at all. We all had to do our sums and move on.”

Have something to add? Let us know in the comments!