Star Wars: Ashley Eckstein on Whether Voice Actors are Qualified for Live-Action Roles

Star Wars fans have had an exciting few weeks, especially those who consider themselves fans of Ahsoka Tano. The final season of Star Wars: The Clone Wars debuted on Disney+. Recent episodes of the season have caught up with Ahsoka after her departure from the Jedi Order. Around the same time, reports began to circulate saying that Rosario Dawson has been cast to play Ahsoka in the upcoming second season of The Mandalorian. As if to back up that notion, the past two episodes of The Clone Wars seem to be laying the groundwork for Ahsoka’s story in The Mandalorian.

But there’s some debate about whether it was necessary to cast another actor in the role of Ahsoka for live-action, or whether the role should have been given to Ashley Eckstein, who voices Ahsoka in Star Wars animation. Eckstein spoke to ComicBook.com’s Comic Book Nation podcast about her new book I Am a Padawan. During the interview, she touched on whether she thought voice actors should be considered when their characters transition into live-action.

“So I will say one thing: I read a lot and I’ve been outspoken about just because I feel like I need to be outspoken for all voice actors,” Eckstein says. “Voice acting is acting and some people say, ‘Oh well, she’s just a voice actress.” No, actually Ahsoka was my first voiceover job. I was primarily a film and television actress before I became Ahsoka so I do all sorts of live-action and film and television but the only reason I bring that up is not even for myself. Voice acting is acting and some of the most brilliant actors I’ve ever met are voice actors. I mean Corey Burton, who is the voice of Count Dooku and Cad Bane, is probably one of the most brilliant actors I’ve ever witnessed in my life. So I only say that just because I think it’s important to speak up for voice actors. We’re all actors at the end of the day.”

All of that said, Eckstein says she’s still happy to see more Ahsoka Tano stories regardless of formats and casting choices. “I support anything that Ahsoka’s in because it can only bring people goodness and light and hope,” she says. “So if it’s true I’m excited we get more Ahsoka.”

Ahsoka’s story continues in new episodes of Star Wars: The Clone Wars, streaming Fridays on Disney+