Rosario Dawson Reveals How She Was Cast As Ahsoka Tano in The Mandalorian

The long-awaited live-action debut of Ahsoka Tano finally happened in the latest episode of The Mandalorian. One of the most influential female characters in Star Wars is portrayed on the small screen by actress Rosario Dawson. In an extended interview with Vanity Fair, Dawson talked about the long process that brought her to portray Anakin Skywalker’s former Padawan in live-action.

“It first came from fans online,” she said. “Someone tweeted me and fancast me. I retweeted back and I was like, “Absolutely, yes please” and “#AhsokaLives.” And apparently that got the attention of someone who has been doing the Star Wars press for years. She forwarded it to Dave Filoni. That kind of started a whole thing. I was like, “Oh my goodness, did I just get fancast in something?” And then nothing happened.”

It took a while before she got the call from Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni, The Mandalorian producers. Given the importance of the Star Wars Universe character, the creative duo had to ponder the casting.

RELATED: Ashley Eckstein Reacts to Ahsoka Tano’s Live-Action Debut in The Mandalorian

The producers called Dawson right before the series’ debut, showing the actress some concept art as Ahsoka. When it came to the moment, Filoni felt that the choice was the right one.

“When I was first exploring the possibility of directing live-action, I asked [Lucasfilm president] Kathleen Kennedy about casting and when you knew someone was right for a part,” Filoni said in the same interview. “She thought about it and said “you just know.” And she was right. When I met Rosario, I just knew she was right for Ahsoka. Yes there was the tweet, and her interest in the part, yes she has been in action movies and is a huge fan of sci-fi and fantasy stories, yes, she knew Hayden Christensen and pictures of them together look like Anakin and Ahsoka. But in the end, when I met her and we talked, I just knew.”

Hayden Christensen portrayed Anakin Skywalker in the prequel trilogy. He and Dawson went to the same acting school, Strasberg, and happened to have the same class. Apparently, they bonded, and fans are still dreaming of seeing them together on the screen as Ahsoka and Anakin. In the meantime, you can check the official photos from the latest episode of the show in the gallery below.

Did you like Rosario Dawson’s debut as Ahsoka Tano? Let us know in the comments section below.

Recommended Reading: The Art of Star Wars: The Mandalorian (Season One)

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