“Ahsoka” star Rosario Dawson appeared at the Star Wars gala Saturday to offer anxious fans a special surprise — some first shots of the upcoming Disney+ series, shown exclusively to attendees.
After missing Thursday’s Lucasfilm Studio Showcase due to the filming of “Ahsoka,” Dawson appeared at the end of “The Mandalorian” panel, which featured creators Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni, newly promoted director and executive producer Rick Famiwiwa, and star Pedro Pascal (actor) The Mandalorian Emeritus), Giancarlo Esposito (Move Gideon), Emily Swallow (The Armored), Katie Sackhoff (Bo Kattan Craze), Timoira Morrison (Bobba Fett) and Karl Withers (Grif Karga).
“I’m here because of people like you,” Dawson told the ecstatic audience as she sat with the panelists. “It is my pleasure and honor to bring her back to life, and to feel the energy of everyone who wants to see her come alive.”
The live-action series just finished its third week of filming, so Dawson was able to make the plate. “Fortunately, we don’t shoot on Saturdays,” she joked.
And Dawson came armed with more surprises. First, it introduced a very special guest: the trusty robot Chopper, who made his live-action debut alongside Ahsoka in the series. Next, she put together a less than 30-second clip, which featured Dawson in her full official Ahsoka emblems, along with snapshots of “Star Wars Rebels” characters Hera, Sabine and Wren. The footage ends with Ahsoka looking at the art of the “Star Wars Rebels” cast, which means other characters from the show will be making their live-action debuts.
The latest surprise came after the spotlight returned to the scene, just in time for Natasha Liu Bordizzo’s debut as an actress who would bring Sabine to life.
Just announced: Natasha Liu Bordizzo has joined the cast # Ahsoka Like Sabine Wren! pic.twitter.com/ks5xp1VaxH
The Mandalorian May 28, 2022
“I feel like I’ve been adopted into a new family,” Bordizzo said after taking the podium. “I know how important Sabine is to you, and after watching StarWarsRebels, it means a lot to me too.”
The Disney+ series follows Ahsoka Tano, an exiled grandfather who was once a Padawan apprentice of Anakin Skywalker before Anakin turns to the dark side and becomes the Dark Vader. Their time together was chronicled on the animated series “Star Wars: The Clone Wars,” and by the time the series concluded, Ahsoka had become a fan favorite and one of the few examples in “Star Wars” of a great Jedi woman.
Bringing Ahsoka into live action was a dream for Clone Wars writer and director, who co-created the show’s character. Dawson—who is cast as the character—played Ahsoka in season two of “The Mandalorian” in an episode written and directed by Filoni, and reappeared in episode six of “The Book of Boba Fest”—again, directed by Filoni.
Naturally, Filoni created “Ahsoka” as well, along with “The Mandalorian” director Jon Favreau, and the show went into production earlier in May. A social media post has surfaced by Dawson confirming rumors that Hayden Christensen is co-starring Anakin (aka Darth Vader), but Lucasfilm has yet to officially confirm this. Given that the events of “The Mandalorian” and “The Book of Boba Fett” occurred after Vader’s death in “Star Wars: The Return of the Jedi”, it is almost certain that any appearance of Christensen will be either as a ghost of the force or in a flashback.
Other co-stars include Bordizzo (“Society”) as Sabine Wren,; and Mary Elizabeth Winstead (“Birds of Prey”), Ray Stevenson (“Vikings”) and Ivanna Sakhno (“Pacific Rim: Uprising”) in unreleased roles.
The snap shots were part of the Star Wars Celebration Conference in Anaheim, California — the first time Star Wars fans have gathered in person since the pandemic. Saturday’s event marks the third day of the conference, which kicked off Thursday with the Lucasfilm Studio Showcase, featuring news on “Obi-Wan Kenobi,” “Andor,” “Star Wars: Skeleton Crew,” and more, as well as other Lucasfilm properties including Indiana Jones 5 and Willow.
Wilson Chapman reports
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