Rosario Dawson made her Star Wars debut in Season 2 of The Mandalorian as Ahsoka Tano. This marked the first time the character appeared in live-action, and many viewers wondered where the franchise would take her character next. Not long after, Disney and Lucasfilm confirmed that Dawson would be starring as the lead in an upcoming Disney+ project titled Ahsoka.
The actress made another surprise appearance as Anakin Skywalker's former Padawan in The Book of Boba Fett where she was on the same planet as Luke Skywalker and Grogu. However, she didn’t stay long, and fans may not see her again until the show premieres in 2023.
Ahsoka's appearance in The Mandalorian furthered the story of Din Djarin and Grogu while also serving as a backdoor pilot to her own series. During her face-off with the magistrate, Morgan Elsbeth, it was revealed that Ahsoka was in search of Grand Admiral Thrawn, one of the main antagonists of the Star Wars: Rebels animated series. This led viewers to believe that she was trying to find Ezra Bridger, a young Jedi who was sent into space at the end of Rebels along with Thrawn.
It is unclear where the Ahsoka series will kick off, what the character will be doing, and who will be with her, but the series recently started production with Dave Filoni at the helm, and it is expected to hit Disney+ sometime in the early months of 2023.
Rosario Dawson Sports a New Look
In a recent interview with Vanity Fair, Ahsoka star Rosario Dawson sat down to talk about the upcoming series and what the role will demand from her.
The actress stated that she considered "shaving [her] hair" for the series because it is something she "always wanted to." Dawson then mentioned her mother as an influence and said Ahsoka's "montrals" will cover it if it doesn't work out:
"I’m actually thinking of shaving my head. I always wanted to. My mom shaved her head for her 40th. I’m going to be 43 this year. I was thinking about doing it whenever we get around to actually filming…. That’ll be a really great time to shave my head, because if it sucks I’ll just have montrals on the whole time while I grow it out."
Dawson then went on to discuss Ahsoka's montrals and lekku in further depth, saying that they are "trying to figure out" what to do with her hair. In The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett, she didn't have enough screen time for it to be a major problem, but due to this being her own series where she is the main character, the team is trying to find an easier solution.
The actress mentioned that they "might try to put" her hair "into [her] montrals," comparing her situation to Angelina Jolie when she starred in Maleficent:
"We might try to put it into my montrals this time, which I heard they did with Angelina [Jolie] when she played Maleficent. They put her hair into braids and [stuffed] them in. I think that’s what we’re trying to figure out."
The Ahsoka star also talked about what a "huge fan" she is, but also how physically demanding the role is. Dawson claimed that she is "not a workout-y person," but that the respect she has for the character greatly outweighs that, and that she will "workout for Ahsoka any day of the week:"
"Man, I am not a workout-y person, and I’m in my 40s getting into the most physically demanding role of my life. [Ahsoka’s] not someone who gets tired. I can’t play this like a human. She is an indefatigable alien. She’s precise. She’s master level. The challenge is for me to show up and express that…. It’s like, I won’t necessarily work out for myself, but I’ll work out for Ahsoka any day of the week. I’m a huge fan, and I don’t want to watch and be like, ‘Yo, Ahsoka’s hand seems a little shaky there."
Ashley Eckstein, who was the voice of Ahsoka in The Clone Wars and Rebels, also received a great amount of praise from Dawson. The actress stated that there is "a breadth of work to look at and build off of," which is something that, in her words, "is so unusual:"
"I’m building on top of years of work from so many other people. What Ashley did growing this character from a teenager on has given me a breadth of work to look at and build off of, which is so unusual."
Dawson then went on to talk about how "grateful" she is to be in this position where she could potentially play the character for a long period of time, which is something "that's not particularly heard of:"
I get to be a part of a universe, and a team, and a world in which even as I age I might still be able to participate. That’s huge. You know what I mean? To have that longevity with something, in my industry, that’s not particularly heard of. It makes me feel so grateful."
Dawson recently shared a post via Instagram, showing off her new hairstyle, which isn't shaved but is still much shorter than what she previously had.
Truly Embodying the Spirit of Ahsoka Tano
Ahsoka became a fan favorite among Star Wars fans throughout the lifetime of The Clone Wars. Many viewers even consider her one of the best characters in the entire franchise, which led people to wonder if she would ever be utilized in live-action.
After it was confirmed that she would appear in The Mandalorian, most fans wondered how Rosario Dawson's portrayal of the character would be, especially since Ashley Eckstein was the voice that everyone was used to.
One thing that has now been confirmed without question is that Dawson is bringing everything she can into the role. She has stated many times that she feels "grateful" to be playing the character, and now she is even proving that she will go out of her comfort zone physically in order to be the best on-screen version of the character that she can be.
Ahsoka's montrals and lekku have been a major topic of discussion throughout her live-action appearances thus far, with many fans saying that they don't look the same in size as they do in the animated shows. However, it has been said that they don't look as realistic when they are longer, and they also become a safety hazard, particularly during action scenes. At the end of the day, the crew has to do what is best for everyone on set and make it to where the actors are able to perform their roles in the easiest and safest way possible.
Ahsoka is expected to be released on Disney+ sometime in 2023.
