is reporting that five actors are vying for the lead role in Star Wars Episode VII.Ed Speleers (Downton Abbey), John Boyega (Attack the Block) Jesse Plemons (Friday Night Lights), and theater actors Matthew James Thomas and Ray Fisher are all competing for a role in the film.Not much is known about the actual lead character they are vying to play, but he is believed to be a young Jedi, possibly the son of Han Solo and Leia Organa.Adam Driver is said to have landed the role of the film’s villain, a character said to be in the same vein as Darth Vader. Reports say the delay in casting a hero has been because the studio and director J.J. Abrams want a much more diverse cast than what has been seen in previous Star Wars films, and so are looking for a lead who is not Caucasian, if possible.Abrams is also expected to go with less known actors for the leads, while letting bigger stars like Harrison Ford and Mark Hamill play supporting roles.Star Wars Episode VII is scheduled for theatrical release December 18, 2015.
