Back in March there was a rumor that Lupita Nyong’o was up for a role in Star Wars Episode VII, and now, today, there is confirmation. Lupita, along with Brienne of Tarth (Gwendoline Christie) has been cast in Star Wars. Lupita is a movie star!
Of course details are skint but Lupita’s role may be a principal one, and please, please, don’t make tall, wonderful Christie play a Wookie. Or any sexless alien creature, really. Please let her be an ass-kicking WOMAN, because Star Wars really needs some of those. It’s long been a complaint against the holiest of nerd grails that Star Wars is a bit sexist—an opinion not helped by Disney refusing to produce/sell Princess Leia dolls to sell in Disney Stores. (Their official corporate stance is essentially “LOL, f*ck you, little girls.”) The franchise needs recognizable female characters, and JJ Abrams is delivering them. Finally. At last. Seven films deep into the franchise.
So why wait on the announcement? The Lupita rumor emerged in March. The casting announcement came in April. Why wait even more time to announce additional female roles? Abrams ate some internet sh*t over the exclusion of new female characters when that cast photo was released—if he had more female roles ready to go, why not announce it all in one shot? It’s just how it looks, you know? It’s…ancillary. Like—oh yeah, here you go. Here’s that thing you wanted, tossed off after the fact. I don’t believe Abrams actually means it that way, but that’s how it looks. I’m telling you, this mystery box crap is not worth the trouble it creates.
And now for some related stuff. TMZ obtained a bunch of set photos (real ones, not f*cking actor selfies) from Episode VII. It’s not plot spoilery, but there are some new creatures, so if you want to keep your eyes virgin, avoid. I LOVE how everything is practical and built and dirty and, even though the rebels won and the galaxy should, in theory, be peaceful and happy, it still looks like kind of a sh*tty place to live. I’m trying to manage my expectations, because SAND, but dammit, I’m really starting to get into New New Star Wars.
Attached – Lupita at a polo event this weekend.
