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‘Star Wars: Episode VIII’: A look at which new female actors may be added to the cast

Published Jan 9th, 2016 5:40PM EST
Star Wars Episode 8 Cast
Image: Disney

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As Star Wars: The Force Awakens continues to smash through box-office records, fans of the famed franchise are already looking forward to the next film and can’t help but speculate as to what Star Wars: Episode VIII will bring to the table.

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Of course, one of the main points of speculation centers on who the cast will be. And while we’ve already highlighted that the entire cast from Episode VII will be returning for the next Star Wars installment, we’re finally starting to see a few whispers as to which actors may be brought on-board to play completely new characters.

According to Cinema Blend, there are currently two female actors being considered for either the same or perhaps separate roles in the  highly anticipated film, which is already slated to hit theaters on May 26, 2017.

One actor reportedly under consideration is Bel Powley.

Bel Powley drew widespread acclaim for her role in Diary Of A Teenage Girl, in which she played a 15-year-old girl who becomes sexually active with her mother’s boyfriend. Sure, it’s not the type of ground that she’ll be covering in Episode 8, but it proved that she can be funny, conniving, and still loveable all within the same part.

Another actor reportedly being looked at is Gina Rodriguez, most widely known for her role as Jane Villanueva in the TV series Jane the Virgin.

As a final point, it’s worth noting that the next Star Wars movie will be directed by Rian Johnson. In other words, JJ Abrams won’t have his fingerprints on the film. For those perhaps worried about Abrams taking a backseat, rest assured that Abrams has already heaped unprecedented praise on Johnson’ script.

Yoni Heisler Contributing Writer

Yoni Heisler has been writing about Apple and the tech industry at large with over 15 years of experience. A life long expert Mac user and Apple expert, his writing has appeared in Edible Apple, Network World, MacLife, Macworld UK, and TUAW.

When not analyzing the latest happenings with Apple, Yoni enjoys catching Improv shows in Chicago, playing soccer, and cultivating new TV show addictions.