Big news from Star Wars regarding new cast members in Episode VII. Neither is a huge surprise for those who have been paying attention.
Lupita Nyong’o from “12 Years a Slave” for which she one an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress and Gwendoline Christie, currently starring in the hit television series “Game of Thrones” have both joined the cast.
If you’re interested in seaching them out TMZ has some photos that leaked from the set too. I’m not linking to them though.
Press release below:
Lupita Nyong’o joins the recently announced cast of Star Wars: Episode VII. This year, her breakthrough performance in “12 Years a Slave” earned her an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.
Gwendoline Christie, currently starring in the hit television series “Game of Thrones” as Brienne of Tarth, has also been cast in the production. She can next be seen in “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2.”
“I could not be more excited about Lupita and Gwendoline joining the cast of Episode VII,” says Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy. “It’s thrilling to see this extraordinarily talented ensemble taking shape.”
Actors John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, and Max von Sydow will join the original stars of the Saga Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, and Kenny Baker in the new film.
Star Wars: Episode VII is being directed by J.J. Abrams from a screenplay by Lawrence Kasdan and Abrams. Kathleen Kennedy, Abrams, and Bryan Burk are producing, and John Williams returns as the composer. The movie opens worldwide on December 18, 2015.
(photo credits: Gwendoline Christie via Flickr CC license and Lupita Nyong’o via Flickr CC license)