5 Shocking Secrets Behind Jabba The Hutt's Iconic, Slimy Tongue And Its Controversial History
The image of Jabba the Hutt’s massive, slobbery tongue is one of the most viscerally repulsive and unforgettable moments in cinematic history, a true testament to the power of practical creature effects. For decades, this single, dripping prop has served as the perfect visual metaphor for the Hutt crime lord's depravity, excess, and sheer physical grossness. As of December 21, 2025, new interviews and behind-the-scenes retrospectives continue to surface, revealing the incredible technical dexterity and dedication required by the unsung heroes—the puppeteers—to make this repulsive appendage look so convincingly alive.
This deep dive explores the latest revelations about the tongue's operation, its place in *Star Wars* lore, and the fascinating technical challenges faced by the special effects crew on the set of *Return of the Jedi* (1983). Far from just a simple piece of latex, Jabba's tongue was a complex, coordinated element of a 2,000-pound animatronic puppet, designed to convey a chilling sense of menace and gluttony.
Jabba Desilijic Tiure: Full Biography and Profile
Jabba Desilijic Tiure, often referred to simply as Jabba the Hutt, is one of the galaxy's most notorious and long-lived crime lords. His full profile details his powerful position within the vast criminal underworld of the *Star Wars* galaxy.
- Full Name: Jabba Desilijic Tiure
- Formal Title: His Excellency Jabba Desilijic Tiure of Nal Hutta, Sovereign Crypt of the Hutt Space
- Species: Hutt (a large, gastropod-like sentient species)
- Homeworld: Nal Hutta (though his primary base of operations was his palace on Tatooine)
- Affiliation: Leader of the powerful Desilijic kajidic (clan) and a member of the Grand Hutt Council
- Parentage: Son of Zorba Desilijic Tiure
- Role: Gangster, crime boss, slaver, and smuggler
- First Appearance (Canonical): *Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope* (Special Edition, via CGI), but his first physical appearance was in *Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi* (1983)
- Language: Huttese (rarely speaks Galactic Basic)
The Slime and The Scene: Dissecting the Iconic Lick
The most famous—and most unsettling—use of Jabba’s tongue occurs in *Return of the Jedi* when the Hutt is seen "licking" Princess Leia after she is captured and forced into the infamous metal bikini. This scene was a technical marvel of practical effects and a moment of pure, intentional gross-out cinema.
The Puppetry of Repulsion
The Jabba puppet was a colossal, two-ton structure requiring three to six puppeteers working simultaneously inside its latex and fiberglass shell.
- One puppeteer controlled the tail.
- One controlled the right arm and mouth.
- A third puppeteer, Toby Philpott, was responsible for Jabba’s left arm, part of the head, and, most crucially, the tongue.
Philpott, in recent interviews as late as 2021, has spoken extensively about the intricate challenge of operating the tongue.
He described how he had to use "dexterity and co-ordination" to manipulate the tongue's movements, making it look as wet, menacing, and repulsive as possible.
Achieving the Slimy Effect
While the exact material of the puppet's tongue was likely a form of latex or soft foam, the true magic was in the wet, dripping appearance. To achieve the signature "slobbery" look, the crew had to constantly apply a slick, viscous substance. This was a combination of water, glycerine, and other thickeners to ensure the tongue looked perpetually moist and disgusting under the hot studio lights.
The movement itself was key: the tongue didn't just flop; it extended, curled, and "slopped" over Jabba's lips, a detail confirmed by the 1983 novelization of the film, which states Jabba "poked his fat, dripping tongue out to the princess, and slopped."
The Hutt Tongue in Lore: More Than Just a Lick
Beyond its use as a tool for visual disgust, the Hutt tongue is a fascinating aspect of Hutt xenobiology and culture, playing a role in communication, intimidation, and even combat within the *Star Wars* Expanded Universe (Legends) and canonical comics.
Anatomy and Function
Hutts, being large, slug-like creatures, have a massive mouth and a thick, muscular tongue that is highly mobile. While Jabba speaks the guttural language Huttese, the sheer size and flexibility of the tongue suggest it’s adapted for more than just speech.
In the comics, the tongue is shown to be prehensile and surprisingly strong, capable of being used as a weapon. In one particularly dark scene, Jabba uses his tongue to ensnare and pull a victim directly into his gaping maw, highlighting its function as a tool for quick, brutal consumption.
The Culture of Licking in Jabba’s Palace
Jabba's palace on Tatooine seemed to attract creatures with a fondness for prominent tongues, suggesting a bizarre, thematic environment for the crime lord.
- Ghoel: A small, non-sentient, slug-like creature kept in Jabba’s palace. The Ghoel had a long, whip-like tongue and was known to use it to "lick newcomers" to the palace, a grotesque form of greeting or intimidation.
- Salacious Crumb: Jabba’s Kowakian monkey-lizard jester, while not having a massive tongue, often perched near Jabba’s mouth, emphasizing the area of the Hutt’s body associated with gluttony and verbal abuse.
This prevalence of tongue-focused creatures reinforces the topical authority of Jabba's domain as a den of excess where the boundaries of polite society—and physical repulsion—are constantly pushed.
The Legacy of a Gross-Out Prop
The practical, slimy tongue of the original Jabba puppet stands in stark contrast to the later CGI versions of the character, particularly the controversial digital Jabba that replaced the human stand-in in the 1997 Special Edition of *A New Hope*.
Many fans and even original crew members, including Toby Philpott, expressed disappointment with the CGI version, finding it lacked the tangible weight, texture, and sheer grossness of the original puppet.
The original tongue, with its visible slime and coordinated movement, gave Jabba a sense of physical reality that digital effects struggled to replicate at the time. The raw, tactile nature of the puppet's tongue is what made the "licking Leia" scene so effective—it felt real, damp, and truly invasive.
The legacy of Jabba’s tongue is a powerful reminder of the artistry of special effects pioneers like Phil Tippett and the puppeteers who dedicated themselves to character performance. It is a small, repulsive piece of latex that perfectly encapsulated the villain’s vile personality, ensuring Jabba Desilijic Tiure remains a cornerstone of *Star Wars* villainy and a masterclass in creature design.
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