The Ahsoka Disney+ TV show is a star-studded production that brings some classic Star Wars characters to live-action for the first time.
The latest Star Wars TV series, set during The Mandalorian era, follows the adventures of Anakin Skywalker’s former Padawan, Ahsoka Tano, several years after the Empire’s downfall. As revealed by Lucasfilm’s Dave Filoni, Ahsoka is a continuation of Star Wars Rebels – which accounts for the presence of many characters from that animated series, now portrayed in live-action.
The Mandalorian season 2 featured Rosario Dawson as Ahsoka Tano and showed her on a mission to find the missing Grand Admiral Thrawn – the Empire’s most brilliant strategist, who disappeared in Star Wars Rebels’ final episode.
The New Republic thinks the Empire is no more, but The Mandalorian season 3 has exposed the secret collaboration of the Imperial Remnants. Ahsoka will need the help of all her allies to face this new threat.
1Rosario Dawson as Ahsoka Tano
Ahsoka Tano survived Order 66 thanks to the training she received from her master, Anakin Skywalker, and became a rebel agent during the Empire’s oppressive rule.
She vanished for years, with no trace of her during the Galactic Civil War, until she resurfaced years later in search of Grand Admiral Thrawn. Ahsoka’s status as a Jedi is uncertain; she renounced the Order shortly before the end of the Clone Wars but appears to have taken Sabine Wren as her apprentice.
Rosario Dawson portrays Ahsoka Tano in live-action, despite Ashley Eckstein voicing the character in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Star Wars Rebels, and Tales of the Jedi.
Dawson is famous for playing Claire Temple in the Marvel Netflix TV shows but has now switched to Star Wars. She is enjoying her role immensely and has received praise for her dedication to fight choreography.
2Natasha Liu Bordizzo as Sabine Wren
Sabine Wren is the co-lead of Ahsoka, alongside the former Jedi of the same name. Sabine debuted in Star Wars animation, as a character created for Star Wars Rebels.
She is a Mandalorian artist, who left her family after rejecting the Empire for its atrocities. She became part of the Ghost crew, a band of rebels who played a key role in the birth of the Rebel Alliance. Like Ahsoka, Sabine pledged to find Ezra and Thrawn, who vanished in the finale of Rebels.
Natasha Liu Bordizzo portrays Sabine Wren in Ahsoka, taking over from Tiya Sircar, the voice actress from Rebels. Bordizzo is best known for her roles in Netflix’s Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny and The Greatest Showman, as well as playing Helena in The Society. Bordizzo watched all of Rebels to prepare for the role, determined to do justice to Sabine’s character.
3Eman Esfandi as Ezra Bridger
Ezra Bridger is the driving force behind Ahsoka’s plot, as another character who debuted in Rebels. Ezra was a former con artist, an orphan who lived on the planet Lothal. He encountered the Ghost crew and attracted their attention with his Force potential.
Ezra became the main protagonist in Star Wars Rebels, developing his Force skills and becoming a full-fledged Jedi. He ultimately gave himself up to defeat Grand Admiral Thrawn, using his bond with space whales called purrgil to pull Thrawn’s flagship into hyperspace.
Ezra was voiced by Taylor Gray for Rebels, but Eman Esfandi replaced him for Ahsoka, along with the other animated characters. Esfandi is a relatively new actor, with credits in Robert Rodriguez’s Red 11 and a minor role in King Richard. He also starred in the drama series The Inspection as Ismail. Ahsoka is Esfandi’s first Star Wars role, portraying the fan-favorite rogue-turned-Jedi Ezra Bridger.
4Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Hera Syndulla
Hera Syndulla is the final character from Rebels to return in Ahsoka. She is a Twi’lek pilot and the co-leader of the Ghost crew, who became a general for the Rebel Alliance in the Galactic Civil War.
Hera was a mentor for Ezra in Rebels, which justifies her involvement in Ahsoka, a show focused on finding him. According to Ahsoka’s trailer, Hera is still a general in the New Republic after the Empire’s collapse.
Mary Elizabeth Winstead was announced as Hera in Ahsoka at Star Wars Celebration 2023, taking over from renowned voice actor Vanessa Marshall from Rebels. Winstead has a diverse Hollywood career, with roles in Scott Pilgrim vs. the World and 10 Cloverfield Lane to Birds of Prey and Gemini Man.
Winstead is also part of the Star Wars family, as she is married to Ewan McGregor – the actor who has played Obi-Wan Kenobi since the prequel trilogy.
5Ray Stevenson as Baylan
Baylan is a mysterious character in Ahsoka, who survived Order 66 and became a mercenary working for the Empire. The late Ray Stevenson played Baylan, having previously voiced Gar Saxon, the Mandalorian leader, in Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels.
Stevenson also had roles in Black Sails, the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the acclaimed Indian film RRR, and Punisher: Warzone. He passed away in May 2021, leaving the cast and crew deeply saddened by his loss.
6David Tennant as Huyang
Huyang is a 25,000-year-old droid who has worked with the Jedi since his creation, helping Younglings learn to make their first lightsabers. He was voiced by David Tennant in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, and the illustrious actor has returned to voice the droid for Ahsoka.
Tennant is perhaps best known for his role as the Tenth and Fourteenth Doctor in Doctor Who. Other notable roles include Kilgrave in Marvel’s Jessica Jones, Barty Crouch Jr. in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, and Crowley in Amazon Prime’s Good Omens.
7Hayden Christensen as Anakin Skywalker
Anakin Skywalker, the Chosen One of the Force, will reappear in Ahsoka. Anakin is the central figure of the Skywalker saga, who restored balance to the Force by turning against Emperor Palpatine as Darth Vader.
Anakin was Ahsoka’s Jedi master during the Clone Wars, and they shared a strong bond. Anakin faced Ahsoka as Darth Vader in Rebels, and Ahsoka returned to the galaxy after Anakin’s death.
Hayden Christensen, who portrayed Anakin Skywalker in Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones and Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith, will resume his role for Ahsoka.
Although Matt Lanter voiced Anakin in The Clone Wars, Christensen’s comeback will likely allow him and Ahsoka to interact in live-action for the first time. Whether in Clone Wars flashbacks or as a Force ghost, Christensen’s return as Anakin is one of the most anticipated aspects of the series.
8Genevieve O’Reilly as Mon Mothma
Genevieve O’Reilly will resume her role as Mon Mothma in Ahsoka. Mon Mothma was a senator during the Republic and the Empire era who played a key role in establishing the Rebel Alliance.
She had close ties with the Ghost crew, who saved her when she left the Empire and formed the Rebel Alliance. Her significance as the Chancellor of the New Republic and her connection to the Rebels storyline justify her appearance in Ahsoka.
Genevieve O’Reilly is known for portraying Mon Mothma in Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith’s deleted scenes, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, and Andor. She also voiced Mon Mothma in Rebels, creating a link between animation and live-action.
9Diana Lee Inosanto as Lady Morgan Elsbeth
Lady Morgan Elsbeth is a recurring Star Wars character. She made her debut in The Mandalorian season 2, episode 5 as the Imperial Magistrate of Corvus.
She faced Ahsoka in The Mandalorian, and lost a duel to the Jedi, who then asked her for Grand Admiral Thrawn’s whereabouts. Elsbeth was one of Thrawn’s associates, which explains her reappearance in Ahsoka.
Diana Lee Inosanto returns as Elsbeth in Ahsoka, after playing the character in The Mandalorian. Inosanto is a skilled martial artist and the goddaughter of Bruce Lee. She wrote and directed the 2008 film The Sensei, before landing the role of Elsbeth in The Mandalorian and Ahsoka.
10Lars Mikkelsen as Grand Admiral Thrawn
Grand Admiral Thrawn is the main villain of Ahsoka. He first appeared in Star Wars in the Thrawn trilogy of books by Timothy Zahn, which are now part of the Legends canon. In these books, he was the successor of the Empire who rebuilt the fascist regime after Return of the Jedi.
When these books were declared as Legends, Thrawn was reintroduced in Rebels as a high-ranking Imperial who fought against the Ghost crew. Thrawn disappeared in space with Ezra at the end of Rebels, and Ahsoka seems to follow the Thrawn books more closely as he becomes the major threat for this part of the Star Wars timeline.
Lars Mikkelsen portrays Thrawn in Ahsoka, after voicing him in Star Wars Rebels. The Danish actor is known for his roles in The Killing, Sherlock, and House of Cards, among others.
It is unclear how prominent Thrawn will be in Ahsoka, but he appears to be the target of everyone’s search. If Thrawn returns, he will shift the balance of power to the Empire’s favor, disrupting the galaxy’s fragile peace.
11. About Star Wars: Ahsoka
Ahsoka is a Star Wars show on Disney+. Created by Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni, the show sees Rosario Dawson returning as Ahsoka Tano.
The series follows Anakin’s former Padawan Ahsoka Tano as she hunts the Chiss dictator Grand Admiral Thrawn, who plans to take over the galaxy.
The cast includes Rosario Dawson, Natasha Liu Bordizzo, Eman Esfandi, Ray Stevenson, and Ivanna Sakhno.
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