The Wait Is Over! Lucasfilm Announces STAR WARS EPISODE VII Cast


It’s finally happened. This isn’t a last minute April Fools gag. After months of speculation, rumors and thoughts on who will be involved, Lucasfilm has finally revealed the cast of Star Wars Episode VII, the first entry in the new sequel trilogy.

The new cast will be comprised of John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, and Max von Sydow. They will join Original Trilogy stars Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, and Kenny Baker. Guys, that’s two whole women in the main cast. This is groundbreaking for a Star Wars movie! (Update: The Hollywood Reporter has sources stating there’s another female part that has yet to be filled. Perhaps it’s Lutpita Nyong’o?)

Director J.J. Abrams expressed his excitement about the cast, stating, “We are so excited to finally share the cast of Star Wars: Episode VII. It is both thrilling and surreal to watch the beloved original cast and these brilliant new performers come together to bring this world to life, once again. We start shooting in a couple of weeks, and everyone is doing their best to make the fans proud.”

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Several of these actors were rumored heavily, most notably Adam Driver and more recently Oscar Issac. However, the biggest name that jumps out is Andy Serkis. Well-known for his performances as Gollum, King Kong and Caesar in Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Serkis’ work in motion capture has been well-recevied over the years. Though it’s possible he may be in a regular live-action role, it’s a safe bet that Lucasfilm brought him on to bring some elaborate alien character to life.

This is quite a diverse cast. Isaac recently appeared in the multiple-award nominated Inside Llewyn Davis, Gleeson played Bill Weasley in the final two Harry Potter films and Max von Sydow is a legend in the acting world (we here at UTF know him best as Ming the Merciless in 1980’s Flash Gordon). I’m liking what I see so far, and hopefully this cast will leave a better legacy than most of the prequel actors did.

As for the Original Trilogy cast, there’s no surprises there…except one. Where’s my man Billy Dee Williams?!?! We want Lando!

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SOURCE: Star Wars