Ahsoka star Rosario Dawson explains what makes the upcoming show so special for the Star Wars franchise. With the Star Wars movies on hiatus following the release of 2019's Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Lucasfilm has spent the past few years building up a slate of live-action TV shows for Disney+. One of the many projects the studio has in development is Ahsoka, building off the character's live-action debut in The Mandalorian season 2 and guest spot in The Book of Boba Fett. Plot details are being kept under wraps, but Ahsoka footage was shown at Star Wars Celebration back in May, giving audiences a tease of what's in store.
When Ahsoka made her first appearance in 2008's Star Wars: The Clone Wars move, she received much criticism from viewers. However, over the years, Ahsoka's transformed into one of the most beloved Star Wars characters and is now a franchise mainstay. Dave Filoni, who co-created Ahsoka with George Lucas, has witnessed that journey firsthand, and is understandably emotional about the character headlining her own live-action spinoff series. Filoni's extensive history with Ahsoka made the experience stand out for Dawson.
In an interview with Screen Rant to promote Clerks 3, Dawson discussed her feelings about working on Ahsoka. She compared Filoni to Clerks 3 director Kevin Smith, remarking both creatives have wanted to make their respective projects for many years. Check out her comments in the space below:
Dave's wanted to make it for so long. I feel so grateful that I've gotten to be a part of that kind of storytelling a couple of times. Like, Kevin's wanted to make [Clerks 3] for years; it just has a different texture to it. It's the same thing with Ahsoka; Dave's been wanting to do this for years, and you can just feel it. It feels so special. It's so well thought out and planned. Things change and stuff, but it's at the right time. It's nice to be able to be there in the moment. In the room where it happens.
Dawson had previously recalled Filoni's reaction to seeing a full Ahsoka episode, which he described as a "religious experience." It's apparent Ahsoka is very much a passion project for Filoni, and it's encouraging to hear Dawson talk about her time on set in this way. The series is one of the most anticipated Star Wars shows on the horizon - not just because of Ahsoka Tano's popularity, but also since it's bringing Star Wars Rebels characters including Hera Syndulla and Sabine Wren to live-action for the first time. From the sound of it, Filoni didn't take this opportunity for granted and did everything in his power to ensure Ahsoka is as great as it could be.
One of the more notable parts of Dawson's comments is that Ahsoka is "well thought out and planned." This indicates Filoni has a grand vision for how the show plays out and fits within its larger corner of the universe, similar to how Jon Favreau already knows how The Mandalorian will end. Star Wars has historically made things up as it goes along (to varying degrees of success), but it never hurts to have a plan in place so everyone knows what the show is building towards - especially since Ahsoka and The Mandalorian are linked. Hopefully, it all pays off and Ahsoka is another major Star Wars hit for Disney+ next year.
