Warning: SPOILERS ahead for The Mandalorian season 2, episode 3, “The Heiress”
Sasha Banks reveals why Jon Favreau approached her for a role on The Mandalorian. One of WWE’s most popular performers, Banks is among those most frequently credited with elevating the status of women’s wrestling in recent years. Her bouts with Bayley, Becky Lynch, and Charlotte have turned heads, garnering rave reviews from audiences.
Given Banks’ already impressive accomplishments, there was a lot of anticipation regarding her part in The Mandalorian season 2 ever since it was announced back in February. Banks made her debut in episode 3 of the season, credited by her real name Mercedes Varnado, in the role of Koska Reeves. A new character first introduced in the Disney+ series, Koska works alongside Bo-Katan Kryze and even helps save The Child from danger. Banks has shed some light on how she got cast in The Mandalorian, explaining that she caught the interest of the show’s creator.
Ahead of WWE’s annual Survivor Series event, Banks was interviewed by Variety. When asked how she landed the role of Koska, Banks’ excitement is evident. The wrestler is keenly aware of the immense influence Star Wars has on pop culture, elaborating on her surprise that Favreau reached out after seeing one of her interviews. You can read Banks’ full quote below.
“It’s frickin ‘Star Wars!’ One of the biggest franchises in the whole world, one of the biggest universes you can ever be a part of. So Jon Favreau came to me because he watched an interview that I did with ‘Hot Ones.’ And he really liked me and got my contact information. Then on FaceTime he asked me to be part of ‘The Mandalorian.’ I was like, ‘Well, I cannot say no,’ but I was so incredibly nervous, because I didn’t know if I was going to be able to do it with the WWE schedule. You know, we used to travel a lot. But they made it work and everything happened. And it was such an incredible episode. I still just can’t get over how awesome that was. Not only to be part of ‘Star Wars,’ but one of legit the greatest episodes in the history of television like that. I could watch that all the time. That was such a bad ass introduction to the world of ‘Star Wars.’ I’m so thankful I saved Baby Yoda! I cannot get over it. Oh my god.”
The interview Banks references, which she says helped to land her the gig, occurred as part of the Hot Ones series on YouTube that features celebrities reminiscing while snacking on exceptionally spicy food. Banks spoke with host Sean Evans about everything from the origins of her wrestling persona to the experience of dealing with obsessive fans. Expressive and assured of her own success, it’s easy to see why the 20-minute clip helped Favreau imagine Banks in The Mandalorian. The episode, titled “The Heiress”, depicts Koska as a warrior unfazed by the prospect of battle, easily handling a Mamacore creature in order to rescue The Child. But, in the same vein, Koska’s interactions with The Child suggest a level of kindness and warmth. Even though The Mandalorian marks Banks’ first foray into a big Hollywood production, the portrayal lines up well with Banks’ demeanor away from WWE.
Appearing on a podcast hosted by her WWE cohorts The New Day, Banks calmly explained why she believed that she was among the best grapplers to step inside the squared circle. When it came time to promote her involvement in The Mandalorian however, the current Smackdown Women’s Champion was unable to hold back tears. These two facets, the certainty and the vulnerability, were also hinted at in Koska’s first outing. Favreau, who pushed for Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man, arguably changing the history of movies by his insistence, still has a keen sense for casting. Rather than pick a well-known performer for the sake of it, Favreau went with an unusual choice that has ultimately garnered plenty of attention.
During her chat with The New Day, Banks seemed to mention in passing that her guest role would continue for more than one chapter. Considering the link between Koska and Bo-Katan, in addition to how Banks is prominently included in promotional material for The Mandalorian, fans could see more of The Legit Boss in the Star Wars universe. Still, even if Koska remains a relatively minor figure, it would bode well overall. Dwayne Johnson, Dave Bautista, and John Cena all began their Hollywood career with small parts. The Mandalorian could provide a similar spark for Banks.
Source: Variety