‘Ahsoka’ Cast Members Discuss Show’s Accessibility to New Fans, Action-Packed Scope, and More
The cast of Ahsoka spoke with Collider after the Ahsoka panel at Star Wars Celebration, and while it’s clear they’ve all been carefully coached to avoid spoilers, we learned some interesting bits of information nonetheless. We’ve compiled a selection of quotes from all of the interviews, but we encourage you to read or watch the full pieces (linked below for each cast member).
Natasha Liu Bordizzo was asked what surprised her about Dave Filoni’s scripts, and had some interesting comments on whether the show will be accessible to fans who haven’t watched Rebels or kept up with the MandoVerse:
“Well there’s just so much history with these characters, so there’s just so much subtext, which is very unique to this show because there is an existing fanbase, and then there’s also a whole bunch of fans that are completely clueless right now that will become fans. So we had to cater to both, so the writing was very specific in doing so, and giving away enough that it’s an homage to what the fans already know, but not being so cryptic that new fans can’t understand it. So it was a very interesting balance to strike.”
I’m sure I’m not alone in wondering just how successful they were at striking this balance. It’s hard to believe that viewers unfamiliar with Rebels and perhaps even behind on The Mandalorian would be able to jump into Ahsoka seamlessly. That said, I’m rooting for their success. I would love nothing more than to introduce Lucasfilm’s animated series to a newfound fan of Ahsoka.
In a similar conversation, Mary Elizabeth Winstead was asked what essential Hera Syndulla episodes fans should watch prior to Ahsoka‘s August release:
“I would say going back to not even on Rebels but The Bad Batch, kind of starting with that. I mean, that for me was so great to get to see her as a child, because anytime, as an actor, if you can figure out what your character went through as a child, it’s so instrumental in figuring out who they are as a person. So that was really great for me to get to see that childlike joy in her and her desire to do that.
So many episodes when you get to see her really in her element, fighting, flying spaceships and getting to do what she’s been assigned to do. She was such a little girl and the joy that that brings in her and also, as time goes on through the series, and how the stakes grow in different ways, and things become more and more complex and emotional. I know for me, trying to figure out okay, how does she still get joy from that, but also, you know, bring in the stakes and the concern that she has for this family.”
Winstead is referring to The Bad Batch season 1 episodes 11 and 12, a two-episode arc focusing on the Syndullas in the early days of Imperial control on Ryloth. In those episodes, we see a young Hera, still with her Rylothian accent, grapple with her dreams of flying and her parents’ precarious political position. Winstead is correct that the older version of Hera we see in Rebels is in many ways still the same bright-eyed young pilot, but with the added burden of responsibility.
Ray Stevenson, who plays the new character Baylan Skoll, had a lot of praise for the whole cast and crew of Ahsoka, speaking positively about everything from the writing to the production design to the fight sequences. Regarding the fight choreography specifically, he said:
“They’re character-driven fights. It’s not just ‘here’s a lightsaber fight.’ They have character, the stakes are up. You don’t know who’s going to come out of it, or how they’re going to come out of it. You may think you do, but when you’re in it, that dynamic and the energy involved. It keeps you on the edge of your seat.”
Stevenson was also asked about his relationship with Thrawn:
Collider: What is your relationship with [Thrawn]? Is it adversarial? Is it friendly? What can you tease?
Stevenson: “Yes.”
A bit of a cheeky response that gives nothing away. We know Baylan acts as an adversary to Ahsoka, but Thrawn’s individual nature tends to isolate him from potential allies, so it’s likely that like Stevenson said, Baylan is both friendly and adversarial with Thrawn. Speculation around Thrawn’s plans continues to mount with the finale of The Mandalorian coming on Wednesday and now Ahsoka right around the corner.
Another question that was asked to all of the cast members was “Out of all the episodes for the season, did they have a favorite?” Rosario Dawson attempted a cagey response while surreptitiously holding up five fingers. Look out for episode 5, perhaps?
Dawson also spoke about surprising elements in the Ahsoka script and drew an interesting comparison between what we will see in Ahsoka versus what we’ve seen of the character so far in The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett.
“It was so nice to deep dive into where they’re at emotionally. We didn’t get to see that or explore that so much on The Mandalorian and on The Book of Boba Fett, it sort of hints at it, but I think you get to see that sacrifice that they’re grappling with and the vigilance that it takes for them to still know that there is a threat out there that they have to be on top of. It’s lonely business! To be out there fighting a threat that people don’t even believe is real. It’s really exciting as we go along, just how it was seeded and the context, and the subtext of it, for the fans who know and the fans who don’t. It was really nice.”
Finally, we also received an interview with Ivanna Sakhno, who had a noteworthy comment about what Filoni brought to the show:
“I think Dave has done a brilliant job of expanding our understanding of lightness and darkness, that spectrum and what comes within it… What I love about him is that he loves silence and speaking through silence.”
This is of course relevant to her character, Shin Hati, and co-star Ray Stevenson’s character, Baylan Skoll, who are seen using orange-bladed lightsabers in the trailer.
For more news on Ahsoka, check out our Star Wars TV series recap from Star Wars Celebration. Ahsoka will premiere on Disney Plus in August.
When she isn't watching her friends and family's eyes glaze over at the mention of The Clone Wars, she's at the park with her dog, Melvin, or on the couch with a book in one hand and a drink in the other. Physically, she lives in Ohio; spiritually, she lives in Naboo.
