Bill Kipsang Rotich, also known as Kipsang Rotich, is a voice actor best known for voicing the character

Nien Nunb Nien Nunb is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. Introduced in the 1983 film ''Return of the Jedi'', he was brought to life both as a puppet and a costumed actor during the film. Nunb was puppeteered by Mike Quinn and was portr ...

in the '' Star Wars'' films.

Early life

Bill Kipsang Rotich was born in 1958.

Eldama Ravine Eldama Ravine is a town in Baringo County, Kenya, a few miles north of the equator, geographical coordinates 0° 30' 0" North, 35° 43' 0" East. It was established as an administrative point by British colonialists and later served as a transit r ...

Koibatek 'KoibatekSub-County
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Kenya ) , national_anthem = " Ee Mungu Nguvu Yetu"() , image_map = , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Nairobi , coordinates = , largest_city = Nairobi ...

Education

He attended Eldama Ravine Mission Primary School for his primary education and later joined

Nairobi School The Nairobi School is a national secondary school in Nairobi, Kenya. It was founded in 1902 by the British settlers who had made Nairobi their home after the construction of the Uganda Railway. In 1925, Lord Delamere and Sir Edward Grigg, then ...

for his high school studies. After completing his secondary education he attended Dominican University in San Rafael, California. It is during this time that he landed the role to play the voice of

in ''

Return of the Jedi ''Return of the Jedi'' (also known as ''Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi'' is a 1983 American epic space opera film directed by Richard Marquand. The screenplay is by Lawrence Kasdan and George Lucas from a story by Lucas, who ...

''.

Voice of Nien Nunb

Rotich voiced Nunb by speaking in

Kalenjin Kalenjin may refer to: * Kalenjin people The Kalenjin are a group of tribes designated as Highland Nilotes and are descended from Maliri people ''(thus related to Daasanach of Ethiopia.)'' The Kalenjin are cousins with Datooga people of Tan ...

and

Kikuyu Kikuyu or Gikuyu (Gĩkũyũ) mostly refers to an ethnic group in Kenya or its associated language. It may also refer to: * Kikuyu people, a majority ethnic group in Kenya *Kikuyu language, the language of Kikuyu people *Kikuyu, Kenya, a town in Cent ...

, both of which are spoken in Kenya. This turned him into a celebrity in

Kenya ) , national_anthem = " Ee Mungu Nguvu Yetu"() , image_map = , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Nairobi , coordinates = , largest_city = Nairobi ...

because audiences there could understand what

was saying. Rotich then put a hold on his acting career and decided to pursue business.

Return to voice acting

After 32 years, Rotich was located by ''Star Wars'' producers to be the voice of Nien Nunb once more in '' Star Wars: The Force Awakens''. He reprised the role in '' Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker'', '' Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens'', ''Star Wars'': Rise of the Resistance, and '' Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga''.

References

* * * * *

External links

Nien Nunb at the ''Star Wars'' Databank
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rotich, Bill Kipsang 1958 births 20th-century Kenyan male actors 21st-century Kenyan male actors Dominican University of California alumni Living people Male voice actors People from Rift Valley Province