‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ New Characters Revealed
Star Wars: The Force Awakens fans are still salivating at all the information about the new characters revealed in the latest issue of Vanity Fair magazine, out on newsstands next Tuesday, May 12.
Famed photographer Annie Leibovitz visited the Star Wars: The Force Awakens set at Pinewood Studios, and took some amazing stills, which were released in the last couple of days. We first saw the awesome cover with Harrison Ford (Han Solo), Daisy Ridley (Rey), John Boyega (Finn), BB-8, and Chewbacca. Next came other stills of director J.J. Abrams in action, directing his actors in the Abu Dhabi desert, which was the location chosen for the planet Jakku.
We also got a better look at Oscar Isaac (Poe Dameron) standing next to his X-Wing and Lupita Nyong’o with dots all over her face, indicating she will be featured in motion capture. Aside from Ridley and Boyega, we had not seen any official images of the rest of the new characters.
So far this is what we know about the Star Wars: The Force Awakens newcomers and who they will be playing.
[SPOILERS: Read with caution]
Adam Driver — Kylo Ren
One of the biggest mysteries about the Star Wars: The Force Awakens new characters was, who is the mysterious man in black yielding the very modern looking three-pronged lightsaber? Thanks to Leibovitz’s photos, we now know that Driver is indeed Kylo Ren, the man that “commands snowtroopers loyal to the evil First Order on the frozen plains of their secret base.”
We are fairly certain that the set photos reveal that Driver is indeed one of the villains, Kylo Ren.
Lupita Nyong’o — Maz Kanata
Not much was known about what Star Wars character Lupita Nyong’o will play, but that has changed as well. Maz Kanata is described as a member of the Resistance — or the new Rebel Alliance — and will appear in CGI as a pirate.
Gwendoline Christie — Captan Phasma
According to Screen Rant (via Badass Digest), this is who Captain Phasma is.
“According to my sources Gwendoline Christie is playing John Boyega’s commanding officer in Star Wars Episode VII, and she’s mad that he deserted. She’s looking for him. She’s an antagonist.
UPDATE: I have new info that puts things in new perspectives. She’s definitely hunting Boyega. I think she’s an Imperial officer, but I got one more piece of information that puts everything in a new light
SPOILERS! The actress has been training with a lightsaber. Could she be an Imperial officer who has a lightsaber? Or is it something more? I’m hearing the S word.”
In other words Captain Phasma could be a Sith Lord, Screen Rant suggests and could eventually confront Daisy Ridley’s Rey as a strong female baddie. That could make things very interesting, indeed. Presumably, she is working with Kylo Ren in some capacity.
As much as Annie Leibovitz’s Star Wars: The Force Awakens new characters photos revealed, we still don’t know how a lot about the plot. Additionally, we have yet to see Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker), Carrie Fisher (Princess Leia), and the mysterious characters played by Andy Serkis and Domhnall Gleeson, but maybe Lucasfilm and Disney want to keep some surprises for opening day.
[Image via Lucasfilm]
