The '12 Years a Slave' actress is up for a major female role which 'doesn't seem to be tied into the family lines from Episodes 4-6.'
- March 15, 2014
AceShowbiz -
Fresh off her big win as Best Supporting Actress at this year's Oscars, Lupita Nyong'o is added to the casting mix of "Star Wars Episode 7". Latino-Review reports the Kenyan beauty has been reading for a major female role for over the past month.
The "12 Years a Slave" star might be circling the role of a Sith. Her character allegedly "doesn't seem to be tied into the family lines from Episodes 4-6." When asked for comment, her representative simply said, "We're not allowed to talk about that."
Other female stars who were once mentioned being in talks for the much-awaited movie were Saoirse Ronan, Kate Mara, and Margot Robbie. Judi Dench has also been linked to the role of Mon Mothma, the co-founder and leader of the Rebel Alliance.
But fans could scratch Ronan as she already said she didn't get the part. Meanwhile, Mara has been signed on for the tentpole reboot of "The Fantastic Four", and Robbie is attached to play the leading lady in a new high-profiled take on "Tarzan".
There is no word on Dench's casting report so far. After leaving James Bond franchise, the 79-year-old Oscar winner was last seen starring in "Philomena" which earned her another Oscar nominee for Best Actress. She is currently filming "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel 2" in India.
In the male department, five actors such as Ed Speleers ("Downton Abbey"), John Boyega ("Attack the Block"), Jesse Plemons ("Breaking Bad"), and two theater actors Matthew James Thomas as well Ray Fisher are shortlisted to take on a new male lead.
The story is still unclear, but rumor suggests it will introduce a younger generation of Jedi. The original draft which allegedly focused on the new characters was written by Michael Arndt. J.J. Abrams and Lawrence Kasdan then rewrote the story to put them in supporting roles first before giving them bigger portions later in the follow-up movies.
Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill, and Carrie Fisher are expected to reprise their roles as the classic "Star Wars" trio, Han Solo, Luke Skywalker, and Princess Leia, while Adam Driver is hotly tipped to play the new Darth Vader-esque villain. They will start filming later this year to meet the scheduled December 18, 2015 release date.
