Who is Jordan Stephens? Rapper refuses to reprise his role in Star Wars after producers allegedly ask him to cut his dreadlocks

British rapper, actor, and writer Jordan Stephens has reportedly declined an opportunity to reprise his role in the Star Wars franchise after producers allegedly requested that he cut his dreadlocks.

On February 28, 2025, the London artist, whose real name is Jordan Fontenelle Stephens, took to his X account and indicated that he had been invited to appear in a season of Andor. He was very excited about this, but his enthusiasm diminished when the producer allegedly asked him to cut his dreadlocks, which he refused. Ultimately, he decided to turn down the role in Star Wars.

Stephens refused the role over alleged hairstyle demand (Image via X/@MusicNewsWeb)

As the news broke on the internet, discussions about the artist began. Jordan Fontenelle Stephens, a British artist, is best known as one-half of Rizzle Kicks. He has also emerged as a rapper with his most popular songs, including Big Bad Mood, Feel Joy, Can't Close My Heart, Third Eye Tears, and Son Of A Gun.

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Getting to know Jordan Stephens

Stephens and Alexander-Sule posing for Rizzle Kicks (Image via Dave J Hogan/Getty Images)

The 33-year-old English rapper, actor, presenter, and writer was born on January 25, 1992, in Neasden, London, United Kingdom. Jordan Stephens, known as "Rizzle," got his nickname from the musical group Rizzle Kicks, a hip-hop duo with Harley "Sylvester" Alexander-Sule, who debuted in 2011 with their album Stereo Typical.

However, according to New Wave Magazine, Stephens was never fully inclined to become a singer or enter the creative industry. In an interview with the outlet, the British rapper revealed that at 14, he aspired to pursue a career in football and had a strong interest in archaeology —

"When I was younger, I wanted to be an archaeologist because I loved exploring and finding new things. When I reached the age of 14, I was deeply passionate about football and wanted to pursue it professionally," Stephens said.

Additionally, music has always been important to Stephens, as his parents, Emma Boulting and Herman Stephens, were musicians. Inspired by them and immersed in music daily, Jordan Stephens pursued his career as a rapper and singer.

In 2011, Stephens reached #8 on the UK Singles Chart with his single from the album Stereo Typical. Besides singing, Stephens is recognized for his notable roles in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Last Vegas, Why Him?, and Shaun the Sheep Movie.

Jordan Stephens is currently in a relationship with Little Mix star Jade Thirlwall, whom he met in 2020. According to Goss, the couple confirmed their relationship in October 2020.

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Jordan Stephens turns down Star Wars role following alleged hairstyle request

Stephens' claims over alleged hairstyle demand (Image via TikTok/@jordanfstephens)

On Friday, February 28, 2025, Jordan Stephens shared a roughly one-minute video on his TikTok account. In the clip, Stephens can be seen in a lounge-like area wearing a gray hoodie.

The British artist began the video by expressing his excitement when the Star Wars team contacted him. He had previously played Corporal Stordan Tonc in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and was contacted for a role in the new season of Andor, of which he was not aware.

Stephens revealed that just one week before filming, the producers asked him to cut his "dreadlocks" for one scene, which the artist found "ridiculous. " He claimed that the effort behind this hairstyle took six years.

"A week before the shoot, they were like, 'Can we see what you look like?' I sent them a picture and they were like, 'Can you cut off your dreadlocks?' This is what they asked me to do, for one scene. Obviously, that's ridiculous. That's like six years of hair growth, I'm not cutting it off for one scene," Stephens recalled.

As of now, the Star Wars team has not responded to Stephens's claims, and it is not known whether Stephens will be part of the new season if no hairstyle request is made.

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