Star Wars Celebration has announced the hosts for the various stages at the convention.
Celebration Stage Host: James Arnold Taylor
Returning to the Celebration Stage, actor James Arnold Taylor will welcome the biggest stars to Star Wars Celebration. Taylor first hosted the Celebration Stage in Orlando in 2012, and he has been a regular host at Disney’s Star WarsWeekends. He has interviewed such Star Wars royalty as Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Billy Dee Williams, Ian McDiarmid, Anthony Daniels, and Warwick Davis.
Known to Star Wars fans as the voice of Obi-Wan Kenobi and Jedi Master Plo Koon in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Taylor is an actor, entertainer, motivational writer and speaker, host and emcee, and one of the most versatile voice actors in Hollywood today. He’s voiced cartoon legends such as Fred Flintstone, Huckleberry Hound, Wile E. Coyote, Leonardo the Ninja Turtle, as well as contemporary characters like Spider-Man and Johnny Test.
“Talking to Myself,” Taylor’s critically-acclaimed one-man show, takes the audience on a fast-paced, multimedia ride through the life of a voice actor. In the production, Taylor performs more than 200 different voices live. He recently published his first book, JAT 365, which is a daily reader of inspirations and motivations for the pursuit of dreams.
Don’t miss James Arnold Taylor, and the brightest stars of Star Wars Celebration, on the Celebration Stage.
Photo by Jonas Jungblut Photography 2013.
Digital Stage Host: David Collins
No host at Star Wars Celebration has as much Celebration experience as David Collins. Having served as host of the Digital Stage at Celebrations IV, V, VI, and Europe, Collins is a die-hard Star Wars fan who shares his unique humor, insight, and passion for all aspects of the saga.
Star Wars fans know him best as PROXY, the holo-droid from the The Force Unleashed video game series, and as the voice of Han Solo in Star Wars: Honor Among Thieves and Star Wars: Smuggler’s Gambit, radio dramas directed by Kyle Newman. After more than a decade at LucasArts, his sound design credits include Star Wars: Battlefront II, Star Wars: Republic Commando, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, the LEGO Star Wars series, andStar Wars: The Old Republic. Currently working at Sony PlayStation, his recent credits include Uncharted 3, The Last Of Us (DICE award-winner and BAFTA nominee for Best Sound), Journey (DICE and BAFTA winner), andGod of War: Ascension.
Collins has appeared as an on-camera host for past Star Wars Celebration digital Ground Reports, on the Star Wars: The Clone Wars Blu-Ray, StarWars.com, and various programs for LucasArts and Lucasfilm. He is a recurring special guest on RebelForce Radio, co-hosting his own show called Star Wars Oxygen: The Music of John Williams. As a voice actor, he can be heard in various video games, TV commercials, and short films. A former stage actor, Collins is an active participant in the L.A. Improv scene.
The Digital Stage at Star Wars Celebration will be home to the best in Star Wars screenings, presented in high-quality format, with tech-savvy conversations, plus a good smattering of other legendary Star Wars entertainment.
New Hosts for the Behind-The-Scenes Stage: Jimmy Mac and Jason Swank
Celebration’s Behind-The-Scenes Stage covers the ins and outs of what goes into creating the Star Wars universe, including deep-dive sessions with Star Wars crew, authors, artists, publishers, toy creators, and more. Stepping up for their first Celebration hosting experience, but certainly not their first Celebration, are experienced Star Wars radio hosts and self-proclaimed fan boys Jimmy Mac and Jason Swank.
Jason Swank
Jason Swank cannot remember life without Star Wars. Born in 1977, Swank says his love of The Wars, (“thank you, Fanboys“) is the result of growing up the youngest in a family obsessed with the movies and toys. While his older brother and cousins grew out of their fandom, he never did.
When the opportunity came to host a podcast in 2007, Swank jumped at the chance to introduce the talk radio format to Star Wars. The circle became complete when he hooked up with longtime radio veteran Jimmy Mac. The two have blazed a trail for more than seven years together, bringing their unique personalities to Star Wars fan chatter, culminating in their founding RebelForce Radio in January 2013.
When not in front of the microphone talking Star Wars or his other favorite film franchise, James Bond, Swank enjoys music, theater, and reading young adult books targeted to teenage girls (Twilight). He works in marketing and public relations at the second largest performing arts center in the US, Cleveland’s Playhouse Square. He and his wife, Debra, live in Northeast Ohio with their two children, Bailey and Parker.
Jimmy “Mac” McInerney
Jimmy “Mac” McInerney is a Chicago radio professional and currently the Production Director at 95.9 The River. A lifelong Star Wars enthusiast and collector from the “original generation” of fans, Mac first fell in love with the galaxy far, far away in a dark movie theater back in 1977. He has not looked back since.
Professionally, Jimmy became known for infusing his passion for Star Wars into his work as he covered the releases of the Star Wars: Special Editions and Prequel Trilogy as a member of the Chicago media. From there, he segued into the field of website reporting, internet radio, and podcasting, culminating with the creation of RebelForce Radio with co-host Jason Swank. “Your Source for The Force,” RebelForce Radio enjoys a worldwide audience of dedicated Star Wars fans who listen and contribute daily.
Beyond podcasting, but still in the Star Wars universe, Mac is the writer and producer of the 2008 Atom Films Star Wars Fan Film Award-winning animated short “George Lucas Hip Hop”, producer of the live audio drama Star Wars: Smuggler’s Gambit at Star Wars Celebration VI in Orlando, and is proud to be an inaugural member of The Clone Wars Director Dave Filoni’s 104th Wolfpack. In addition to his love of Star Wars, Mac is an avid Chicago sports fan, guitar player, and physical fitness enthusiast. He resides in the Chicago area with his wife, WGN Radio talk show host Wendy Snyder, and their two boys, Michael and Dylan.