Who Plays The Villain Garraka In 'Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire'?

Garraka in a scene from "Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire."

While it’s reasonable to think that the demonic spirit Garraka in Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire is a CGI creation, in reality, there’s an actor who helps bring the ice-breathing leader of the Frozen Empire to life.

Set three years after the events of Ghostbusters: Afterlife, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire features Paul Rudd’s Gary Grooberson and the Spengler family — Callie (Carrie Coon), Trevor (Finn Wolfhard) and Phoebe (Mckenna Grace) — as New York City’s new ghostbusting team. But when the menacing Garraka emerges, the family recruits the original Ghostbusters — Peter Venkman (Bill Murray), Ray Stantz (Dan Aykroyd), and Winston Zeddemore (Ernie Hudson), along with longtime associate Janine Melnitz (Annie Potts) — to help defeat the ominous villain.

Starting the movie trapped in an ancient orb to contain his powers, Garraka eventually emerges from his confines to unleash his powers of breathing ice and shooting ice through his fingertips, thereby threatening a new ice age in New York City. In addition to his ability to freeze objects — and humans — at will, Garraka also has the control to control spirits and is looking to free all the specters trapped with the Ghostbusters’ firehouse. Also under the demon spirits’ spell is Phoebe’s teen ghost friend Melody.

While CGI no doubt helps the horned demonic spirit haunt moviegoers, Garraka is also brought to life via the talents of puppeteer Ian Whyte. The actor’s 7-foot, 1-inch height was clearly a factor when it came to casting someone who could play Garraka since the 12-foot-tall vengeful demon spirit towers over all of the Ghostbusters trying to bring him down.

Whether Whyte provides Garraka’s voice is a credit that is yet to be confirmed. He’s only billed a puppeteer in the credits for Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, which lists no performer for the villain’s voice. It’s completely within reason to guess Whyte did voice Garraka, though, since he’s had speaking roles like Free Folk giant Wun Wun in Game of Thrones — a character that has a low-rumbling vocal delivery not too dissimilar to his Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire character.

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 26: Ian Whyte participates in the "Aliens" Q & A on stage at the ... [+] Days Of The Dead Los Angeles held at the Los Angeles Airport Hilton Hotel on August 26, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Albert L. Ortega/Getty Images)

Ian Whyte is no stranger to showbiz, having applied his talents as an actor, stunt player and puppeteer to more than 30 film and TV projects since 2004.

In addition to playing Wun Wun — as well as Dongo and Gregor Clegane — in Game of Thrones, Whyte has worked on other big showbiz franchises. Whyte served as a creature and droid puppeteer on five Star Wars projects, including Episode VII – The Force Awakens and Episode VIII – The Last Jedi, as well as the spinoff movies Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and Solo: A Star Wars Story and TV series Andor. In The Force Awakens, Whyte also played the alien Bollie Prindel.

Also among Whyte’s acting credits are two Predator films. In Alien vs. Predator, he played the predator Scar, while his character was simply billed as “Predator” in the AVP sequel Alien vs. Predator: Requiem. Whyte also played the Last Engineer in director Ridley Scott’s Alien prequel Prometheus and the Tall Man in the Peacock TV series Brave New World.

Among Whyte’s more recent credits is the role of The Mound Dweller in director Robert Eggers’ 2022 Viking epic The Northman.

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