It’s hard to say who won 2019 in the world of entertainment. Star Wars certainly wouldn’t be at the top of the list, though. Keanu Reeves held the mantle for a while there and I’d say Phoebe Waller-Bridge could make a strong argument as well as Brad Pitt, who turned in a possible Oscar-winning performance in Once Upon a Time… In Hollywood. Not to mention his work in the under-seen Ad Astra.
But perhaps no one or no thing connected greater with audiences in 2019 than Baby Yoda (just don’t call it that around Jon Favreau). From the moment it first appeared on our television screens, the adorable little guy has captured our hearts and minds. And you know something has entered the zeitgeist in today’s world when it becomes a meme sensation. Even the great auteur Werner Herzog couldn’t help but get flustered around it.
“It’s heartbreakingly beautiful,” the actor said in an interview last year. “And I saw two technicians operating it remotely. One was for the eyes and the mouth, the other was for other facial expressions, it’s a phenomenal technical achievement, and beyond the technological achievement it’s heartbreaking.”
“I don’t know…but on the set it looked absolutely convincing,” Herzog continued. “It made you cry when you saw it.”
Recently, Jon Favreau has been sharing behind-the-scenes photos from the first season of The Mandalorian and on Wednesday, he gave the internet what they’ve been waiting for; a meeting between father and son. In this case, Baby Yoda and Star Wars creator George Lucas.
As you can see above, Lucas is holding “The Child” as if it’s his newborn son. Find somebody to look at you the way Lucas looks at Baby Yoda. Seriously. Although, I have to call out Favreau here, as this is the man who directed Elf, Iron Man, Chef and The Jungle Book. So, what’s with the blurry photo? It looks like my dad took it.
Also, note that this is the proper way to hold Baby Yoda. Besides being cute, he’s also a very expensive baby that you must handle with care. Just ask actor Adam Pally.
Thankfully, it won’t be too long before we get to see the adorable little guy again, as fans can look forward to more of Baby Yoda this fall when the second season of The Mandalorian drops on Disney Plus.