Gwendoline Christie: Captain Phasma Actress Coming Back For More ‘Star Wars’
In some way, shape, or form, Gwendoline Christie is coming back to Star Wars. Gwendoline Christie was hyper stylish as the chrome stormtrooper in Star Wars: The Force Awakens. The Game of Thrones actress never took off her helmet, but she didn’t need to. Her shiny silver armor was the biggest hint that someone special was just below the surface, no doubt covered in perspiration.
She told the press, as reported by Entertainment Weekly, that she’ll be back on screen for the next installment of Star Wars. But she didn’t make clear if that’s 2017’s Star Wars: Episode 8 or 2016’s Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Rogue One is considered a Star Wars anthology film, as it doesn’t fall after The Force Awakens in time period. In The Force Awakens, she most likely didn’t survive. If it turns out she did survive the Resistance, then she’ll probably be back for revenge. She got shoved down a trash chute, after all. But if she’s in Rogue One, then perhaps fans will get to see her origins, as Rogue One takes place in time a little before the original Star Wars movie that started it all. They’d have to fit her in while justifying her absence during the original trilogy.
Captain Phasma (@lovegwendoline) has confirmed her return to #StarWars #EpisodeVIII: https://t.co/NB9nEn8HAN pic.twitter.com/i6jYRRvkqu
— Nerdist (@nerdist) February 1, 2016
Christie let the news of her continued Star Wars involvement slip at the recent Screen Actors Guild Awards. She was there in hopes Game of Thrones might win an award or two. Instead, Game of Thrones won for red carpet style, as Christie and other Game of Thrones actresses owned everyone with their enchanting evening wear.
There was almost a scheduling conflict with Gwendoline’s work on Game of Thrones, in her role as Brienne of Tarth. The shooting schedule conflicted with her Captain Phasma acting duties. But turns out she was able to successfully juggle the two huge projects, with a little understanding from both sides. Christie’s other film work last year included the role of Commander Lyme in The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2.
@Paige_hOvsepian is breanne of tarth pic.twitter.com/PomeJlPxeW
— Aidan Stanowicz (@goonlyfe23) December 29, 2014
Christie mentioned how the Captain Phasma role was originally designed for a man in an interview with People.
“I was very overexcited. I made no secret of the fact that I really campaigned for the part for a long time. And then I was delighted when J.J. Abrams wanted to have me in the film and then wanted to cast me in this role that had originally been designed for a man.”
This makes sense if you consider that Brienne of Tarth is quite a manly character on GOT. And she also wears some serious armor there, too. Gwendoline further told People that she has her hopes set in Captain Phasma’s popularity creating more diverse acting opportunities for women.
“I thought the costume was incredibly striking. I also just liked this notion of a female stormtrooper. I felt it encouraged diversity and it was doing something new and it was an interesting bit of casting for women, and I hope that in something that was such a mainstream success it would breed more of those kind of opportunities for other women.”
The original Star Wars movies had stormtroopers that didn’t say much. They seemed like a bunch of incompetent idiots when they weren’t with Darth Vader. But in The Force Awakens, they are given more color, they are made a bit more real. Both Captain Phasma and Finn give them more emotional significance. They no longer seem like secondary henchmen buffoons.
If you can’t wait until the next Star Wars to see Gwendoline Christie back on the big screen, catch her later this year in a British children’s film, Swallows and Amazons.
[Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images]
