When the initial cast announcement for Star Wars Episode VII was made, the major criticism leveled against it was the lack of actresses. Fans weren’t necessarily in an uproar, but were quick to point out the male-dominant cast at the time, leading many to speculate on whether the inherent nature of Star Wars (i.e. the vast diversity of the film’s universe and races) was lost when director JJ Abrams took over. Despite it being too early to make such outlandish accusations, the lack of actresses in the first wave of announcements was too apparent to ignore.
That all gets remedied today as news comes out that Oscar winner Lupita Nyong’o (12 Years a Slave) and Gwendoline Christie (Game of Thrones) have joined the cast of Star Wars Episode VII. While their roles haven’t been defined yet (alongside the other new faces), the addition of the actresses brings an extra level of talent to the production. As earlier stated, Nyong’o won this year’s Oscar for Best Supporting Actress while Christie is currently nominated for the Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress on Television.
Star Wars Episode VII definitely has the star and talent power behind it. Will it live up to the legacy (pre-prequel trilogy), or will it be another missed opportunity?
[via Newsarama]