Rosario Dawson is getting her own “Star Wars” TV show, embodying one of the series’ most beloved characters. Dawson will be playing Ahsoka, Anakin Skywalker’s padawan, in a new spin off that will premiere later this year. Her role had been teased and introduced in a previous season of “The Mandalorian.”
“Ahsoka” will premiere in August, and will follow the title character as she makes her way across the galaxy as an exiled Jedi. The series trailer premiered at a fan event hosted on Friday, with Dawson coming out to the stage to discuss it. She was joined by Dave Filoni, the series’ showrunner, Natasha Liu Bordizzo and Mary Elizabeth Winstead, her series’ co-stars.
“I’m blown away,” said Dawson according to Variety. “We’ve got some great surprises for all of you, but today is really special because I’m excited to see some footage — finally! I’m like, ‘If it’s not today, when!’”
“Even the last day, the light sabers turn on and we’re in the world. It’s only been three weeks since my heart stopped racing. I wake up every morning thinking I need to be doing something,” said Dawson of the experience of the shoot. Other costars includeEman Esfandi, Ray Stevenson, and Ivanna Sakhno.
Ahsoka was a big part of “Star Wars: The Clone Wars,” an animated series that ran from 2008 until 2020. Her character evolved with the series until it became one of the franchise’s favorites. Dawson has played Ahsoka in various Star Wars series, including “The Mandalorian,” and “The Book of Boba Fett.”