Charlie Bushnell has built a growing screen career through projects such as Diary of a Future President, Percy Jackson and the Olympians, and In the Know. In 2026, he added a major franchise credit to his résumé by joining the Star Wars universe as the voice of Rylee Lawson in the animated series Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord.
The Charlie Bushnell Star Wars role is different from many of his previous performances because it is an animated voice role rather than a live-action appearance. Bushnell voices Rylee, a teenager living on the planet Janix whose personal life becomes connected to the events surrounding former Sith Lord Maul.
The character also gives Bushnell an opportunity to bring a more everyday teenage personality to a story filled with criminals, former Sith, Jedi, law enforcement, and the continuing conflict surrounding the early years of the Galactic Empire.
Who Is Charlie Bushnell?
Charlie Bushnell is an American actor who began pursuing acting as a teenager. According to his Disney biography, he decided to try acting at 14 and later landed his first professional role as Bobby Cañero-Reed in Disney+’s Diary of a Future President. Before that, he participated in school plays and studied acting at places including Ruskin Academy and John Rosenfeld Studios.
His career expanded with the role of Luke Castellan in Percy Jackson and the Olympians. He also provided the voice of Chase in the animated comedy In the Know, giving him earlier experience with voice performance before joining the Star Wars franchise.
That background makes his casting in Maul – Shadow Lord a natural progression. He already had experience with both live-action television and animation, while his role as Rylee Lawson allows him to explore another type of character within one of the most recognizable fictional universes.
Charlie Bushnell’s Star Wars Role
In Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord, Bushnell voices Rylee Lawson, a young human resident of Janix. Rylee is not a Jedi or a major military figure. Instead, he is presented as an ordinary teenager whose family circumstances place him close to some of the series’ important events.
Rylee is athletic, intelligent, and interested in playing botekin with his friends. He also attends school and has the everyday concerns of a teenager. Those details give the character a grounded quality within a story that otherwise features powerful Force users and criminal organizations.
Bushnell described Rylee as someone who has a good heart but spends considerable time on his own. His father works long hours, while his parents have separated, leaving Rylee to become more independent.
This family situation is an important part of understanding Rylee. His story is not simply about being connected to the Star Wars conflict. It is also about growing up and dealing with changes at home.
Who Is Rylee Lawson?
Rylee Lawson is the son of Brander and Drea Lawson. The official Star Wars Databank describes him as a young resident of Janix and a proficient botekin player. His parents have separated, with his mother moving out of the family apartment while his father spends long hours working for the local Tactical Defense Force.
Rylee’s circumstances make him different from many of the traditional young characters in Star Wars. He is not introduced primarily through a connection to the Jedi Order or the Force. Instead, viewers meet him through his family and his life on Janix.
His athletic interests and friendships also help establish him as a believable teenager. These ordinary details are useful because they provide a contrast to Maul’s much darker world.
Rylee’s story therefore operates on a more personal level. While Maul is focused on power, revenge, and rebuilding his criminal organization, Rylee is dealing with school, friends, family problems, and the absence of his parents from his daily life.
Brander Lawson and Rylee
Rylee’s relationship with his father, Brander Lawson, is one of the most important elements surrounding the character.
Brander is a police captain on Janix and is voiced by Wagner Moura. The official Star Wars cast information describes him as a police officer trying to protect the people of the planet. His demanding work also affects his relationship with his son.
Moura explained that one of the things that attracted him to the character was the relationship between Brander and Rylee. Brander is a working parent trying to balance his responsibilities as a police officer with the attention his son needs.
That relationship gives the series a family-centered storyline alongside its larger criminal and Star Wars mythology.
For Rylee, having a father who is frequently working means he has to become more self-reliant. The official character description specifically notes that Rylee often has to fend for himself after his parents’ separation.
What Is Maul – Shadow Lord?
Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord is an animated series created by Dave Filoni and developed by Filoni and Matt Michnovetz. The story follows Maul several years after Darth Sidious established the Imperial era.
The series focuses on Maul’s attempt to rebuild his criminal syndicate on Janix, a planet that has not yet been directly controlled by the Empire. During his activities, Maul encounters a young Jedi Padawan named Devon Izara, creating another important relationship within the story.
Sam Witwer provides the voice of Maul, continuing his association with the character. The cast also includes Gideon Adlon as Devon Izara, Wagner Moura as Brander Lawson, Richard Ayoade as Two-Boots, Dennis Haysbert as Master Eeko-Dio Daki, and Charlie Bushnell as Rylee Lawson.
The first season premiered on Disney+ on April 6, 2026, with episodes released weekly. Lucasfilm also confirmed that a second season is in development.
Rylee’s Life on Janix
Janix is more than just the setting for the series. It is the place where Rylee has built his everyday life.
The official Star Wars material describes Rylee as a resident of Janix who balances athletics, school, friendships, and his personal situation. Botekin is one of his interests, giving him an activity that exists outside the larger conflict surrounding Maul and the Empire.
His ordinary life helps viewers see Janix from a different perspective. The planet is not simply a location for Maul’s criminal ambitions. It is also home to people with families, jobs, friendships, and personal problems.
Rylee represents that civilian side of the story.
Bushnell’s Star Wars Connection
One interesting aspect of the Charlie Bushnell Star Wars role is that Bushnell was already a longtime fan of the franchise before joining its cast.
In an official Star Wars interview, Bushnell explained that Star Wars: The Clone Wars was particularly important to him while growing up. Rather than primarily identifying with Jedi characters, he developed a strong interest in the clone soldiers. He even recalled pretending to be a clone during Nerf battles with neighborhood friends.
That history gives his casting a personal connection to the franchise. Bushnell was familiar with Star Wars animation before he became part of it professionally.
His comments also help explain why the opportunity was meaningful to him. He described himself as a major Star Wars fan and said becoming part of the universe felt unreal.
A Different Kind of Performance
The Charlie Bushnell Star Wars role also represents a change from the type of performances that made him widely known.
As Luke Castellan in Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Bushnell appears on screen and physically portrays the character. In Maul – Shadow Lord, his performance is delivered through voice acting.
Voice acting requires performers to communicate character, emotion, personality, and relationships without relying on facial expressions or physical movement being seen by the audience.
Bushnell already had some experience with this format. In 2024, he voiced Chase in the animated comedy In the Know. Disney’s biography identifies Chase as his first animated role.
Rylee therefore represents another step in Bushnell’s voice-acting experience, this time within a major science-fiction franchise.
Rylee’s Personality
Rylee has several traits that distinguish him from the more powerful figures around him.
Athletic
Rylee is interested in athletics and botekin. These activities establish him as an active teenager rather than someone defined entirely by his family problems.
Independent
Because of his parents’ separation and his father’s demanding job, Rylee spends a lot of time on his own. This forces him to handle parts of everyday life independently.
Intelligent
The official cast description characterizes Rylee as smart. His intelligence is part of his identity alongside his athletic interests and social life.
Kind-Hearted
Bushnell has described Rylee as having a good heart. This gives the character an emotional quality that separates him from the darker figures involved in Maul’s criminal activities.
Career Before Star Wars
Bushnell had already built several television credits before joining Maul – Shadow Lord.
| Year | Project | Role |
| 2020–2021 | Diary of a Future President | Bobby Cañero-Reed |
| 2023–present | Percy Jackson and the Olympians | Luke Castellan |
| 2024 | In the Know | Chase |
| 2026 | Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord | Rylee Lawson |
Bushnell’s first professional acting experience came with Diary of a Future President, where he played Bobby Cañero-Reed. He later became known to a larger audience through Percy Jackson and the Olympians as Luke Castellan.
His work on In the Know then gave him direct experience with animation and voice recording. That background is especially relevant to his casting as Rylee.
Charlie Bushnell Star Wars Role in Context
The Charlie Bushnell Star Wars role is worth looking at as part of the actor’s broader career rather than as an isolated credit.
His early work established him in family and coming-of-age television. Percy Jackson introduced him to a major fantasy franchise and a large international audience. In the Know gave him an animated voice role. Maul – Shadow Lord now places him in another major franchise with a long history of animated storytelling.
Rylee is also quite different from Luke Castellan. Luke is connected directly to Greek mythology, demigods, magical powers, and the central conflict of Percy Jackson. Rylee, by contrast, is a teenager living on a Star Wars planet and dealing primarily with his family and everyday life.
That contrast gives Bushnell an opportunity to demonstrate a different side of his acting.
The Main Cast
Maul – Shadow Lord features a large ensemble of established actors and voice performers.
| Actor | Character |
| Sam Witwer | Maul |
| Gideon Adlon | Devon Izara |
| Wagner Moura | Brander Lawson |
| Richard Ayoade | Two-Boots |
| Dennis Haysbert | Master Eeko-Dio Daki |
| Charlie Bushnell | Rylee Lawson |
| Vanessa Marshall | Rook Kast |
| A.J. LoCascio | Marrok |
| Steve Blum | Icarus |
The series brings together characters connected to different parts of the Star Wars universe, while the Lawson family provides a more grounded storyline centered on Janix.
Will Rylee Return?
Lucasfilm has confirmed that Maul – Shadow Lord will continue with a second season. The announcement came before the first season premiered and confirmed that Season 2 was already in development.
However, confirmation of Season 2 does not automatically establish every character’s involvement or storyline. As of the available official information, specific future details about Rylee Lawson should be treated separately from the confirmed renewal.
That means viewers will need official announcements for further information about Rylee’s role in the next chapter.
Quick Facts
| Detail | Information |
| Actor | Charlie Bushnell |
| Star Wars series | Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord |
| Character | Rylee Lawson |
| Performance | Voice role |
| Species | Human |
| Home | Janix |
| Father | Brander Lawson |
| Mother | Drea Lawson |
| Character interest | Botekin |
| Series premiere | April 6, 2026 |
| Season 2 | Confirmed in development |
Rylee’s official Star Wars profile identifies him as a human resident of Janix and the son of Brander and Drea Lawson.
Why the Role Matters
The Charlie Bushnell Star Wars role adds another recognizable franchise to his growing résumé while also expanding his work in animation.
For viewers who know Bushnell mainly from Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Rylee Lawson provides a chance to see him in a very different setting. The character is not defined by supernatural abilities or a famous family. Instead, his story revolves around growing up, dealing with family changes, and trying to maintain a normal teenage life while living on a planet affected by much larger events.
The role also connects Bushnell with a franchise he has publicly said he loved while growing up. His interest in The Clone Wars and the clone characters makes his participation in a Star Wars animated production particularly notable.
FAQs
Who does Charlie Bushnell play in Star Wars?
Charlie Bushnell voices Rylee Lawson in the animated series Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord. Rylee is a young resident of Janix and the son of Brander and Drea Lawson.
Is Charlie Bushnell a voice actor in Star Wars?
Yes. His Star Wars appearance is a voice-acting role. He provides the voice of Rylee Lawson in Maul – Shadow Lord.
Who is Rylee Lawson?
Rylee Lawson is a teenager living on Janix. He is athletic, smart, and a proficient botekin player. His parents have separated, and his father’s demanding work schedule leaves Rylee spending considerable time on his own.
Who plays Rylee Lawson’s father?
Wagner Moura voices Brander Lawson, Rylee’s father. Brander is a police captain on Janix who is trying to balance his demanding work with his responsibilities as a parent.
Will Charlie Bushnell be in Maul – Shadow Lord Season 2?
Lucasfilm has confirmed that the series will return for a second season, but specific details about Rylee Lawson’s Season 2 storyline have not been established in the official announcement.
Conclusion
Charlie Bushnell’s move into the Star Wars universe adds an interesting chapter to his young acting career. As Rylee Lawson, he voices a teenager whose life on Janix is shaped by school, friendships, athletics, and changes within his family.
The character also gives the series a grounded perspective alongside its larger story involving Maul, the Jedi, criminal organizations, and the early Imperial era. For Bushnell, the role has an additional personal connection because of his long-standing interest in Star Wars: The Clone Wars and its clone characters.
With Maul – Shadow Lord continuing into a second season, Rylee Lawson has become another notable character in Bushnell’s expanding list of television and voice roles. The Charlie Bushnell Star Wars role therefore represents both a new franchise credit and another step in his development as a performer across live-action and animated projects.
