6 Star Wars: Rebels Characters Making Live-Action Debuts

By Alycia Leach Posted:
Star Wars Sabine Hera Zeb Rebels

The core group of heroes from Star Wars Rebels has finally made its way into live-action Star Wars projects.

For a long time, it seemed that Star Wars had all but forgotten the adventures of the ghost crew.

Premiering back in 2014, the Disney XD animated series Star Wars Rebels was one of the very first projects released under Disney's ownership of Lucasfilm.

The series saw the specters, Kanan Jarrus, Hera Syndulla, Sabine Wren, Zeb Orrelios, and Ezra Bridger, as well as their chaotic droid Chopper, stand against the Empire in the fledging days of the rebellion.

However, despite being one of the earlier Star Wars TV series, the series has remained popular with fans. Now, those fans are finally being reunited with the beloved ghost crew as they make the jump to live-action.

Star Wars Rebels Characters in Live Action

1.) Hera Syndulla

Hera Syndulla, Star Wars Rebels, Ahsoka
Lucasfilm

The beloved green Twi'lek, Hera Syndulla, is considered by some to be one of the finest pilots in the galaxy. Fans will know that whilst Hera was mentioned briefly in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, she is only now about to make her live-action debut. 

The recently-released Ahsoka trailer let fans see the beloved revolutionary appear in live-action. Played by Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Hera is bound to have a pivotal role in the upcoming series, as she, Sabine, and Ahsoka team up to find Ezra Bridger.

Hera still sports her iconic green lekku and piloting goggles, although they seem to have changed slightly, with Hera swapping her white headpiece for a brown leather style, and a matching bomber jacket.

2.) Sabine Wren

Sabine Wren, Star Wars Rebels, Ahsoka
Lucasfilm

The artistic Mandalorian Sabine Wren is perhaps one of the most beloved Star Wars characters in recent years. Her story is inspiring to many, the tale of a former imperial cadet who was once branded a traitor by her own mother, as well as the rest of Mandalore. 

As fans will know, Sabine was tasked with building weapons intended to destroy Mandalore, although the Empire had Wren believe they were made to help secure peace. She was later taken in by the ghost crew, and able to overcome the missteps of her past, with her work now being used as a symbol of hope.

Played by Natasha Liu Bordizzo, Sabine will make her live-action debut in the Ahsoka series. Sabine has one of the largest deviations in visual design, with her iconic armor replaced with a decorated leather jacket, and her hair much longer than it ever was in Star Wars Rebels.

3.) Chopper

Chopper, Star Wars Rebels, Ahsoka
Lucasfilm

C1-10P, better known as Chopper, is a C1 astromech with a huge personality (and love for all things danger and destruction.) Whilst he is loyal to the ghost crew, he has a mischievous streak that has stolen the hearts of not just the specters, but fans across the globe. 

Chopper made a brief live-action debut in Rogue One, but he will finally get his chance in the spotlight when Ahsoka premiers this summer. In the trailer, fans were able to see Chopper flailing around in the excitement of a space battle, waving his mechanical arms around during a heated space battle.

Of course, Chopper's iconic orange color scheme has remained intact, as the beloved droid is nearly identical to his animated counterpart.

4.) Ezra Bridger

Ezra Bridger, Star Wars Rebels, Ahsoka
Lucasfilm

For many years, Star Wars fans have been asking one thing: Where is Ezra Bridger? From social media hashtags to fanfiction, the whereabouts of this Lothal resident have been a hot topic amongst the fandom.

As many will remember, the epic Rebels finale in which he saved the people of Lothal by leading the purrgils to Thrawn's fleet, only for the creatures to latch themselves and send both Ezra and Thrawn into the unknown. However, Star Wars has not wanted to give anything away.

The Ahsoka trailer gave fans a first glimpse of the beloved Jedi, played here by Eman Esfandi. Not much seems to have changed, with Ezra still sporting his white shoulder pads and orange shirt. It's worth noting that this hologram is likely an older one and taken from before the events of the Rebels finale, leaving what Ezra will look like in the Ahsoka series a mystery.

Whilst he only appeared in hologram form, it's the upcoming Disney+ series clear that will finally answer fans' desperate hopes of just where Ezra has been.

5.) Thrawn

Thrawn, Star Wars Rebels, Ahsoka
Lucasfilm

Grand Admiral Thrawn was created by popular author Timothy Zahn back in the 1990s and was first introduced in his seminal Heir to the Empire trilogy, now part of the Star Wars Legends timeline.

Like many other characters featured in Star Wars Rebels, Thrawn is due to make the jump to live action, and in a remixed trailer at the Ahsoka panel at last weekend's Star Wars Celebration, fans were treated to a first look at the character. 

Lars Mikkelsen, who voiced Thrawn in the animated series, is due to play the Grand Admiral in the upcoming Ahsoka show, and with any luck, it won't be the last appearance of the popular chiss. 

Those who were lucky enough to attend the Ahsoka panel have praised Lucasfilm's efforts to capture the chiss in live-action form, but from the back, it seems the Grand Admiral may still wearing his imperial uniform.

6.) Zeb Orrelios

Zeb, Star Wars rebels, Ahsoka
Lucasfilm

Whilst most of the Rebels cast are due to make their live-action debut in August, one member of the specters has already been seen and heard in the medium. 

To the delight of Star Wars fans across the galaxy, The Mandalorian Chapter 21 episode 'The Pirate' showed Zeb Orrelios hanging out with his fellow New Republic fighters. 

Whilst it isn't confirmed that Zeb will be appearing in Ahsoka, it would be a surprise for the Lasat to not make an appearance and reunite with Ezra, considering that the Ahsoka series has turned into the de-facto Rebels sequel, and Zeb and Ezra's growth as friends and even family was a particular highlight of the animated series.

To the surprise of many, the design of the character in live-action couldn't have gone much better, and his original voice actor Steve Blum reprising his role made it even better. Live action has allowed Star Wars to better convey just how old the Lasat is, and the team has been able to capture the species' wide eyes even outside of an animated format.


Ahsoka starts on Disney+ in August 2023.

- In This Article: Ahsoka
Release Date
August 22, 2023
Platform
Actors
Mary Elizabeth Winstead
Natasha Liu Bordizzo
- About The Author: Alycia Leach
Alycia Leach is a writer at The Direct. She joined The Direct in November 2020 and prides herself on her extensive knowledge of Luke Skywalker.