In a shocking surprise announcement this morning, movie news website Slashfilm has revealed that actress Rosario Dawson (Rent, Eagle Eye, Clerks II) has been cast as the fan-favorite Star Wars character Ahsoka Tano in the upcoming second season of the live-action Disney+ series The Mandalorian.
Slashfilm states it has verified this exclusive report with two separate sources, though it received no official response from Lucasfilm, The Mandalorian producer Dave Filoni, or Rosario Dawson’s representatives.
What’s happening:
- According to Slashfilm, Rosario Dawson has been cast as Ahsoka Tano in The Mandalorian.
- Ahsoka Tano made her debut in the animated Star Wars: The Clone Wars theatrical movie, went on to become a regular character in The Clone Wars TV series, and had a recurring role on Star Wars Rebels. The character has also appeared in Star Wars comic books and had her own novel written by E.K. Johnston.
- The character is voiced by actress and Her Universe founder Ashley Eckstein in animation and in a very brief cameo audio-only role in 2019’s Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.
What they’re saying:
- Slashfilm: “This is a fan-casting dream come true. In 2017, a fan tweeted at Rosario Dawson, asking her to appear in a Star Wars movie as Ahsoka, and the actress responded, ‘Ummmm… yes, please?! #AhsokaLives’ This tweet spurred groups of fans to campaign for her to play the role. Dawson was later asked about the fan campaign while appearing on Good Morning America, and she commented that ‘It would be amazing!’”
Ahsoka Tano was a Padawan Learner serving under General Anakin Skywalker during the Clone Wars, but she eventually left the Jedi Order after being wrongly accused of treason. She later popped up as the Rebel Alliance spy with the codename “Fulcrum” and helped the crew of the Ghost in their struggle against the Empire. When last we saw Ahsoka, she and the Mandalorian revolutionary Sabine Wren were embarking on a quest in search of the lost Jedi Padawan Ezra Bridger in the wake of the Battle of Endor.
The Mandalorian is set to return for its second season in October exclusively on Disney+.