Disney+'s upcoming Ahsoka is reportedly casting a second lead character to star opposite Rosario Dawson's former Jedi. The success of The Mandalorian on Disney+ has fast-tracked a number of Star Wars streaming shows, most of which were announced last year at Disney's Investor Day presentation. Among them was Ahsoka, a Mandalorian spin-off centered on the fan favorite character of Ahsoka Tano. She was first introduced via the animated movie The Clone Wars before going on to lead the series of the same name. Ahsoka made her live-action debut in The Mandalorian season 2 with Dawson taking over from voice actress Ashley Eckstein.
Little is known about Ahsoka, though her appearance on The Mandalorian left some clues about where the series will find her. Ahsoka is looking for Star Wars Rebels villain Grand Admiral Thrawn and Ezra Bridger, the young Jedi who disappeared with Thrawn at the end of the animated series. Though Thrawn and Ezra haven't been explicitly confirmed for Ahsoka, there have been rumors that Lars Mikkelsen and Mena Massoud (Aladdin) have been cast for those respective roles. What has been confirmed, though, is that Hayden Christensen will play Anakin Skywalker for Ahsoka, making this his latest Star Wars return following Obi-Wan Kenobi.
Now a new report indicates Ahsoka will have a second lead character. As shared by The Illuminerdi, Ashoka is reportedly looking for a man in his 20s to play a character named "Riz." Described as a lone wolf, Riz is world-weary despite his young age and able to handle anything life throws in his way. This would be a series regular role with options. Screen Rant has reached out to Disney for comment.
So far, most of the characters rumored or confirmed for Ahsoka are already established within the Star Wars universe. This would make Riz an interesting addition to the series, since he would be a complete newcomer. As a seemingly street-wise character, Riz could prove a valuable ally for Ahsoka in her search for Thrawn and Ezra, though his lone wolf nature could get in the way. Still, that could make for an interesting dynamic between the two.
There are at least three Star Wars shows scheduled to arrive before Ahsoka, so further updates might be slow to emerge. Production is expected to begin sometime in early 2022, which isn't surprising if casting is still ongoing. Perhaps by the time filming starts, Disney will see fit to confirm some of the characters who will go on this journey alongside Ahsoka. This is one of the most exciting Star Wars shows on the upcoming slate, and hopefully we'll learn more about it soon.
Source: The Illuminerdi
