With the official announcement of who will be headlining STAR WARS: EPISODE VII, a slew of faces old and new will now forever be associated with a galaxy far, far away. But, some of these names are brand new to not just STAR WARS but audiences in general. So, here is a rundown of all the new players announced today who will be joining Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, and Kenny Baker in J.J. Abrams first foray into George Lucas‘ expansive universe.
DAISY RIDLEY
Daisy Ridley is by far the least known of all the actors cast in STAR WARS: EPISODE VII. The British actress has appeared in several BBC productions the last couple of years, the most recognizable being the Jeremy Piven series MR. SELFRIDGE. Her big screen debut will be the British horror film SCRAWL set for release this year. STAR WARS: EPISODE VII will be her Hollywood debut. It is unknown who she will play in the film but based on her age I would say she may be playing one of the children of an original trilogy character.
DOMHNALL GLEESON
Domhnall Gleeson has already appeared in another major franchise, HARRY POTTER, where he played Bill Weasley in the final two films. He has also appeared in DREDD, FRANK, ANNA KARENINA, and recently starred opposite Rachel McAdams in the romantic scifi movie ABOUT TIME. Another solid actor who could be playing a young Jedi or a villain. Gleeson is also the son of fan favorite actor Brendan Gleeson.
OSCAR ISAAC
Oscar Isaac‘s career began to really take off after his supporting turn in Nicolas Winding Refn‘s DRIVE but it was last year’s Coen Bros musical film INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS that really made audiences take notice of the 34-year old. After turns in movies like SUCKER PUNCH and Ridley Scott‘s ROBIN HOOD, Isaac has big parts coming up in Alex Garland‘s directorial debut EX MACHINA and J.C. Chandor‘s A MOST VIOLENT YEAR. Isaac will bring some serious gravitas to whatever role he will have in STAR WARS: EPISODE VII.
JOHN BOYEGA
Another fan favorite from his turn in ATTACK THE BLOCK, Boyega has been on everyone’s radar. Long linked via rumor to STAR WARS: EPISODE VII, the young actor will next be seen as Chris Tanner in the upcoming 24: LIVE ANOTHER DAY. With several British films and series under his belt, John Boyega is about to explode on screen and what better place to do it than in STAR WARS: EPISODE VII?
ADAM DRIVER
One of the oldest and longest standing rumors associated with STAR WARS: EPISODE VII has been the casting of Adam Driver as the primary villain. Driver was also linked to the role of Nightwing in BATMAN VS SUPERMAN. He is best known for playing Lena Dunham‘s boyfriend on the HBO series GIRLS, but Driver has acted in a range of movies that includes Clint Eastwood‘s J. EDGAR, Steven Spielberg‘s LINCOLN, and alongside Oscar Isaac in INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS. Driver is definitely turning heads in Hollywood as he will also appear in Martin Scorsese‘s SILENCE alongside Andrew Garfield. Whatever this guy has, be thankful we will see it in STAR WARS: EPISODE VII.
MAX VON SYDOW
Following in the tradition of older thespians in the STAR WARS universe including Alec Guinness, Christopher Lee, and Peter Cushing, Max Von Sydow represents an accomplished performer with decades of experience who instantly brings something powerful to STAR WARS: EPISODE VII. Whether a Sith, a Jedi, a member of the Republic or the Empire, Von Sydow can play it all. As the heroic Father Merrin in THE EXORCIST or the villains in anything from FLASH GORDON to MINORITY REPORT, Von Sydow is going to be something special in this trilogy, I can feel it.
ANDY SERKIS
Shame on you if you don’t know who Andy Serkis is. The man responsible for bringing to life Gollum in THE LORD OF THE RINGS, Kong himself in Peter Jackson‘s KING KONG, Captain Haddock in Steven Spielberg‘s THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN, and Caesar in RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES, Serkis is the master of motion capture. Long robbed of awards for his performances, Serkis could be playing anything from live action to a mo-cap character in STAR WARS: EPISODE VII. Whatever it is, we should be excited he is onboard.
As more cast are announced we will bring you the news you need to learn about what is coming next. STAR WARS: EPISODE VII begins shooting soon and will hit theaters on December 18, 2015.