The upcoming Star Wars series Ahsoka on Disney Plus features the Twi'lek pilot and rebel hero Hera Syndulla, last seen in animated form on Star Wars Rebels (and voiced by Vanessa Marshall). In Ahsoka, she will now be played by Birds of Prey star Mary Elizabeth Winstead, and the actress was excited about the opportunity.
Ahsoka seems to be an unspoken continuation of Star Wars Rebels, complete with several characters from the animated series making their live-action debut. This includes Natasha Liu Bordizzo as the artistic Mandalorian Sabine Wren (originally voiced by Tiya Sircar) and Eman Esfandi as the young Jedi Ezra Bridger (previously voiced by Taylor Gray). Alongside Rosario Dawson as the title character, Togruta Jedi Ahsoka Tano, they'll all be joined by Winstead in the role of Hera. But how did she go about getting into an already-established Star Wars character?
In a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly's Dagobah Dispatch podcast, Winstead revealed that she was pretty happy to have some history to look to for her performance. "Having a character who's already existed and has such a rich history on something like Rebels, as an actor, it's incredible," she explained. "Because sometimes we're tasked with creating our own backstories or trying to flesh out a character that doesn't really have that much on the page. And so to play a character that has season after season of storylines and complex histories with everyone in their life and relationships and experiences was really something I've never experienced quite like that."
Winstead previously played Huntress in Birds of Prey, so this wasn't the first time she's played a previously-established character. But unlike that instance, which saw a new take on an already known character, Ahsoka will feature figures like Hera as the versions that appeared in Star Wars Rebels. It makes sense, considering how Rebels and Ahsoka share creator Dave Filoni. But it was also helpful, according to Winstead. "To have Rebels to refer to, and to have Dave to speak to about it every day on set, was a real luxury for sure," she added.
As the leader of the Ghost crew on Star Wars Rebels, Hera's leadership qualities were another aspect that drew Winstead to the role. "She is very maternal, but also she's this leader of this crew. And as we see, she continues and becomes a general. And so she's leading quite a lot of people and she's become something of a legend in her own right," the actress explained. "She's also very soft and warm, and people come to her for advice and solace and comfort. Seeing those things combined is very unusual, and something that I really wanted to play on screen, because that's such a aspirational thing, I think, as a woman — or just a person — to be able to be all of those things in one."
While Ahsoka will feature Lars Mikkelsen's return as Thrawn, it's exciting to see how other characters will fare with new actors playing them. Winstead knows what she's doing and who Hera truly is, so the beloved Twi'lek general is in good hands. Now all that's left is the hope that Chopper will be his usual war-crime-loving self in live-action.
Ahsoka is set to premiere in August 2023 on Disney Plus.
Source: Entertainment Weekly