Star Wars: Ahsoka Creator Reveals “Biggest Challenge” of New Disney+ Series

Star Wars: Ahsoka is coming to Disney+ later this year, and it’s going to feature many fan-favorite animated characters in live-action, including Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson), Hera Syndulla (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), Sabine Wren (Natasha Liu Bordizzo), and Thrawn (Lars Mikkelsen). Dave Filoni has been a producer, writer, and director on multiple projects including Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels, and he has spoken a lot about bringing animated characters into live-action. During a recent chat with Empire, he explained why that was a challenge. 

“The biggest challenge was, there’s a whole bunch of audience that know her, and a whole bunch that don’t,” Filoni explained of Ahsoka, who made her live-action debut in the second season of The Mandalorian. “She has one foot in the Star Wars that a lot of people know because of her connection to Anakin, and yet she’s all new and can go in her own direction, in her own way. I think that makes her an interesting bridge between what came before and what’s really possible.” He added of George Lucas’ thoughts on the project, “It’s almost like when you turn in a big paper at school,” Filoni said with a laugh. “It’s like, ‘Here it is!’” 

Recently, Filoni revealed to The Wrap that bringing animated characters into live-action isn’t his priority, but he did tease more to come in Ahsoka. 

“At the end of the day, I’ve been very happy with the ones that have gone over,” Filoni said of the characters who have moved from animation to live-action. “There may or may not be more in Ahsoka, if that’s your thing. If you’re excited about that, I’m just saying that one might have a few more, which makes sense, by the way. As you know, I wrote it. You can’t fault me there.” 

Remembering Ray Stevenson:

Sadly, Ashoka actor Ray Stevenson passed away last month at age 58. Before his passing, Stevenson took part in an Entertainment Weekly interview with his co-star,  Ivanna Sakhno. “Ray would constantly make noises,” Sakhno laughed before turning to Stevenson. “I remember the first scene that we were filming, you came up with a song for Shin. I can’t say too much of the scene itself, but Ray would just constantly walk around like, ‘Who let the Shin out? Who, who, who…?’”

After the news of Stevenson’s death was announced, Rosario Dawson paid tribute to him on Instagram. “Sharing in grief with you all,” Dawson wrote. “What a Ray of light. Been calling cast/crew & the rest of my family to say how much I love them. Let this be your reminder to love on your people’s in real time while you can. Ray was so vivacious &  unbelievably present & vibrant. He truly lived!!!”

Ahsoka begins streaming on Disney+ this August.