Saturday, March 21, 2020

THE MANDALORIAN Casts Rosario Dawson as Ahsoka Tano


Tell you what.  Rosario Dawson is ready to give you a merciful death.

Variety is confirming that the Disney+ series The Mandalorian has cast Rosario Dawson as popular Star Wars character Ahsoka Tano for the show's upcoming second season.

Dawson, 40, has considerable geek cred after playing Claire Temple on the Marvel TV series Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, Iron Fist and The Defenders, Gail in the movies Sin City and Sin City: A Dame to Kill For, Laura Vasquez in Men in Black II, Valerie Brown in Josie and the Pussycats, Abernathy Ross in Death Proof, Becky Scott in Clerks II, the voice of Batgirl/Barbara Gordon in The Lego Batman Movie, and the voice of Wonder Woman in the DC Animated Movie Universe films Justice League: Throne of Atlantis, Justice League vs. Teen Titans, Justice League Dark, The Death of Superman, Wonder Woman: Bloodlines, and Justice League Dark: Apokolips War.

Back in 2017, Dawson had been part of an internet campaign to have her play Ahsoka Tano in live-action.

Created in 2008, Ahsoka Tano first appeared in the animated film Star Wars: The Clone Wars as as a 14-year-old padawan apprentice newly assigned to Anakin Skywalker.  Jedi Master Yoda assigned her to Anakin to teach him a greater sense of responsibility, and Anakin was initially frustrated by this decision.  Their early interactions were "playfully contentious", with Anakin calling her "Snips" for her "snippy" attitude and Ahsoka calling him "Skyguy" as a pun on his surname.  After earning Anakin's respect on a dangerous mission, Ahsoka joined him on a quest to rescue Jabba the Hutt's infant son.  Her impetuous nature both annoyed and endeared her to her master, and, by the end of the film, Anakin revealed a newfound affection for his padawan.

In the following Star Wars: The Clone Wars animated TV series, Ahsoka was a commander in the Republic army and continued to learn the ways of the Jedi as Anakin's apprentice.  The two developed a mutual fondness, at times taking great risks to protect or save one another. Some of Anakin's actions taken out of concern for Ahsoka exposed his darker tendencies, such as his torture of prisoners who may know her location when she goes missing.  Ahsoka also found mentorship from Captain Rex, a clone trooper with whom she and Anakin served throughout the war.  During the final arc of Season 5, Ahsoka was framed and imprisoned for a deadly explosion and a subsequent murder.  Although eventually exonerated, she became disillusioned with the Jedi Council and left the Jedi Order in the season finale.  Ahsoka will return in the revival of The Clone Wars on Disney+, which will explore the "unfinished business between Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi and their exiled Jedi-in-training."

Dawson will be the first actress to portray Ahsoka Tano in live-action.  Previously, the character was voiced by Ashley Eckstein in the animated projects Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars: Rebels, and a vocal cameo in the live-action film Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.

The Mandalorian is expected to return to Disney+ sometime in Fall 2020.

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