Diversity in Hollywood tentpoles has become a hot button issue in recent years, and the Star Wars franchise has emerged as one of the leaders in this regard. After The Force Awakens was led by the trio of Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, and Oscar Isaac, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story featured the most diverse ensemble in a Star Wars film to date. The scrappy band of Rebels tasked with stealing the Death Star plans were brought to life by a collection of talent including Felicity Jones, Diego Luna, Donnie Yen, Riz Ahmed, and Wen Jiang. It was nice to see such a well-rounded group in a big studio film, as the cast truly reflected the world Rogue One was released to.
Lucasfilm's decision to go this route has paid off handsomely. Rogue One is marching towards the $1 billion club with $800 million grossed worldwide, and audiences have already become quite fond of the new characters. One fan in particular has a personal connection to Cassian Andor, the Alliance intelligence officer played by Luna, and the actor has now shared that viewer's touching story.
On Twitter, Luna posted a moviegoer's account of their experience seeing Rogue One with her father, who is Mexican. Reading it through, it's apparent that Luna's performance as Cassian made a profound impact on them. Check it out below:
I got emotional reading this! #RogueOneStarWars pic.twitter.com/kfNXxYxWWI— diego luna (@diegoluna_) January 4, 2017
It's safe to say Luna will not be the only one who gets emotional after seeing this heartwarming tale. In all likelihood, this is just one instance of Cassian's portrayal resonating with fans and bringing them joy. For years, blockbuster tentpoles have primarily used male Caucasian actors for main hero roles, but things are starting to change now in the modern age. Besides Star Wars, other major franchises like Marvel and DC have various projects such as Wonder Woman and Black Panther coming through the pipeline that have many people excited. It's great that these movies are being made, since their benefits can go far beyond making the studio a hefty profit. Movies have the potential to influence a viewer's life in a meaningful way, and progress like having Luna star in Rogue One speaks to audiences on an important level.
With most of the Force Awakens actors returning for this year's Star Wars: Episode VIII, it's highly possible that the galaxy far, far away continues to have this kind of effect on audience members. Rumors for that film are pointing to Poe Dameron taking more of a leadership position within the Resistance, and it sounds like Finn will be paired with a mystery character played by Kelly Marie Tran. Lucasfilm has yet to hire a female director to helm a movie in the galaxy far, far away, but they keep making strides with the talent in front of the cameras, and that goes a long way in broadening the property's already wide appeal.
Source: Diego Luna
