Star Wars: Episode VII buzz centres on unknown actress
LONDON: An Oxford- educated actress with no movie credits to her name is being tipped for a key role in Star Wars: Episode VII.
Several sources tell The Hollywood Reporter that Maisie Richardson- Sellers is in line to nab an undisclosed and possibly major role in the high-profi le Disney/ Lucasfi lm production, which is in the middle of an extended casting search in London in advance of a May production start date.
On Apr 2, Disney Studios chairman Alan Horn said that casting for the fi lm was almost complete and some shooting had taken place.
One of the roles yet to be fi lled is that of a young black or mixed-race woman who may be a descendent of Jedi Knight Ben Kenobi. In the fi lm, which takes place 30 years after the events of 1983’s Star Wars: Episode III: Return of the Jedi, the character would cross paths with the children of Han Solo, Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia. (Original Star Wars stars Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher are expected to reprise their roles, as is Peter Mayhew as Chewbacca.)
Star Wars fi lmmaker J. J. Abrams and his casting directors have seen hundreds of actors for the coveted lead roles. The operation is taking place under a cloak of secrecy, with actors and their representat ives sworn to secrecy. At the same time, certain representatives have taken to quietly promoting around Hol lywo o d their clients’ involvement in the casting pr o c e s s , given the ex t reme level of interest in the project and the belief that the actors who land lead roles will become instant global stars.
Richardson- Sellers, an Oxford student who has appeared on stage in such plays as For Coloured Girls Who Have Considered Suicide, Mephisto and There Will Be Red, is represented by Creative Artists Management in the UK. Abrams has shown that he isn’t afraid to cast young, up- andcoming talent in fi lms such as Star Trek ( he cast a then- obscure Chris Pine as Capt. Kirk) and Super 8 (an unknown cast). Roklin’s Luber
Roklin management company is known for repping young up- andcomers.
Meanwhile, The Hollywood Reporter has also reported that Tatooine, the home planet of the Skywalker clan, is being recreated for the new movie, and Peter Mayhew will return for the new movie as Chewbacca, the Wookiee, joining the rumoured Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher appearances and an R2-D2 role
The as-yet-untitled Episode VII will also shoot at Pinewood Studios, reportedly eschew CGI for practical effects and bring John Williams in to score the movie. That’s in addition to bringing in Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi veteran Lawrence Kasdan to co-write the screenplay with Abrams (replacing Michael Arndt) and including Ben Burtt ( Star Wars: Episodes I - VI) to oversee sound design. The only surprise casting choice so far for Episode VII may be Girls actor Adam Driver, who is in talks to play a villain, sources had confi rmed in February.
As much as it pains older fans of the franchise, the original Star Wars movie is more than three decades old ( Return of the Jedi celebrated its 30th anniversary last year). For the new series -which will be set 30 years after the events of Jedi -- to succeed, it has to do more than comfort existing fans; it must offer new hope to a new generation.