When the cast for Star Wars: Episode VII was announced at the end of April, there was some grumbling in the fan community that the new trilogy of films were going to be a bit male-centric. Of the seven new names announced for the film, only one was female – Daisy Ridley. Even with Ridley standing alongside the returning Carrie Fischer, the movie was starting to look like a sausage party, and it bothered a number of fans of both genders.
Lucasfilm has announced the addition of two new actors to the cast, and their signing on should help balance out the gender inequality that some were seeing. Joining everyone else in a galaxy far away will be the recently Academy Award-nominated Lupita Nyong’o And Game Of Thrones star Gwendoline Christie.
Although there is no word as to the size of their roles or even their characters’ names, I would say that both these actresses are great gets for the film. Nyong’o’s potential involvement had been rumored for some time now and having just been nominated for a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her work in 12 Years A Slave her services are in high demand. Christie, as a cast member of Game Of Thrones, brings with her some genre fandom cache.
In a press release, Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy stated –
I could not be more excited about Lupita and Gwendoline joining the cast of Episode VII. It’s thrilling to see this extraordinarily talented ensemble taking shape.
Nyong’o and Christie will be joining Ridley, Fischer, Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker, Peter Mayhew, John Boyega, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, and Max Von Sydow.
Lupita Nyong’o And Gwendoline Christie Added To STAR WARS: EPISODE VII Cast http://t.co/jIePgyf89B