Star Wars: Ahsoka, better known as simply Ahsoka, is a highly anticipated 8-episode mini-series on Disney+. Following the fall of the Galactic Empire, after the events of Return of the Jedi, and in the same timeframe as The Mandalorian, former Jedi Knight Ahsoka Tano investigates an emerging threat to the galaxy and sets out to track down high-ranking Chiss officer Grand Admiral Thrawn, previously thought to be long gone. The storyline is a continuation of what you might have seen in the Star Wars Rebels animated series. Here we discuss the fine actors and actresses that add their skills and firepower to this exciting Ahsoka series. Don’t miss it or them!
Ahsoka Premiere Release Date
The very popular Aksoka character first appeared in the Star Wars: The Clone Wars animated series and made her live-action debut in the Disney+ series The Mandalorian. In December 2020, Disney announced a spinoff series based on the character and with actress Rosario Dawson reprising in the role and Dave Filoni, the character’s original co-creator, as writer. Filming began in May 2022, and the first of eight episodes aired on August 22, 2023. The series is scheduled to run through October 3, 2023. Be sure you see them all… from the beginning!
Ahsoka Characters and Cast
Ahsoka Tano is played by Rosario Dawson
Star Wars The Vintage Collection Ahsoka Tano (Corvus) 3 3/4-Inch Action Figure
What an awesome choice for Ahsoka! We can’t think of anyone better than self-professed Trekkie actress Rosario Dawson. (Obviously, she isn’t exactly anti-Star Wars either, is she?) Ahsoka is an Anakin Skywalker apprentice and former Jedi padawan who’s smart, tougher than nails, and unshakable. Grand Admiral Thrawn had better be ready. Just pray you never face her! And folks, that kind of describes Rosario Dawson. Nominated for more awards than we can possibly list here – Critics’ Choice Movie, MTV Movie, Teen Choice, BET, Saturn, etc., etc., she’s also won many – Sundance, Satellite, NACCP Image, ALMA, and others. You probably know Rosario from her plethora of appearances in film, television, music videos, and video games. Examples include Men in Black II, Clerks 2 and 3, Saturday Night Live, Daredevil, Luke Cage, the voices of Diana Prince / Wonder Woman in the DC Animated Movie Universe and Barbara Gordon / Batgirl in The Lego Batman Movie, plus live-action roles in The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett, of course. And many, many more. We think you’ll agree that Rosario Dawson is just right for Ahsoka.
Sabine Wren is played by Natasha Liu Bordizzo
Star Wars The Black Series 6-Inch Sabine Wren (Ahsoka) Action Figure
Now, there’s an interesting character. In Ahsoka, Sabine Wren is, shall we say, a somewhat obnoxious, obstinate, and reluctant former padawan of Ahsoka. She’s also a graffiti artist, former Imperial Army dropout, Mandalorian warrior, and bounty hunter. She knows a lot about tech, explosives, and weapons. A worthy ally to Ahsoka? Maybe. Watch and decide for yourself! Sabine is played by Australian-born Natasha Liu Bordizzo, seen in Netflix’s Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny, The Society, Day Shift, and in Most Dangerous Game. But you’re probably more familiar with Natasha as Sabine in The Mandalorian, and she also scored roles in various other movies and television series. We think she’s great and suggest you look for her here and in future performances.
Grand Admiral Thrawn is played by Lars Mikkelsen
And here we come to the big baddie, the thought-to-be-dead senior officer of the Galactic Empire known for his tactical cunning, typically several moves ahead of everyone else. Grand Admiral Thrawn is not a Jedi nor a user of the Force, but he’s a formidable enemy none the less, as you’ll find out once again in Ahsoka. Thrawn was previously voiced by Danish actor Lars Mikkelsen in Star Wars Rebels. Thankfully, as he has been in so many live-action movies, television, and animated films and series, Lars is here again in live-action form! You may have seen him in Sherlock, House of Cards, The Witcher, or in his International Emmy Award winning performance in the Danish TV drama Herrens Veje. You’ll love to hate him in Ahsoka!
Captain Enoch is played by Wes Chatham
Wes Chatham gets to appear in the Ahsoka mini-series as Captain Enoch, Grand Admiral Thrawn’s “right-hand man” – not a job we’d care to take on! Wes is a familiar and popular face on television and in the movies, with appearances in films such as The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Valley of Elah, The Help, W., and The Philly Kid. Plus TV roles in Barbershop, The Unit, The Mentalist, The Expanse, and NCIS: Hawai’i, among others. Along with the rest of the cast, he won a Screen Actors Guild Award for The Help. As expected, Wes does a fine job as Captain Enoch.
Anakin Skywalker is played by Hayden Christensen
Star Wars: The Clone Wars Anakin Funko Pop! Vinyl Figure #271
Who would you choose to play Anakin Skywalker? Tough choice, huh? Actually, it’s a no-brainer. In Ahsoka, the role has fallen upon the very capable shoulders of one Hayden Christensen, who also previously portrayed Anakin Skywalker / Darth Vader in the Star Wars media universe, including Attack of the Clones, Revenge of the Sith, The Rise of Skywalker, and Obi-Wan Kenobi. But Hayden has also won a Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild, Teen Choice, MTV Movie, Saturn, and Cannes Film Festival Award – plus many other nominations – for his work in film and on TV. Back to the current series: Now deceased, Anakin is Ahsoka Tano’s former Jedi Master who turned to the dark side of the Force to become Darth Vader. He appears to Ahsoka in the “World Between Worlds.” Yeah, you’ll have to watch to figure out what that is. Do it!
Huyang is played by David Tennant
Huyang is an astonishing light-saber-wielding droid we definitely want on our side! He (It? We prefer he.) served the Jedi for thousands and thousands of years. In Ahsoka, Huyang again demonstrates his prowess and loyalty – multiple times. As he did in the animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars, David Tennant voices Huyang. But Tennant’s skills far exceed this prized role. If you don’t know him as the tenth incarnation of the Doctor in Doctor Who, you most assuredly do from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Jessica Jones, or Around the World in 80 Days, or voice roles in How to Train Your Dragon or DuckTales, and many, many others. Awards? How about 28 wins in the likes of BAFTA, Emmy, People’s Choice, SFX, Critics’ Circle, various film festivals, etc., plus 55 nominations? Happy now? You will be when you see… er, hear him as Huyang in Ahsoka!
Hera Syndulla is played by Mary Elizabeth Winstead
Star Wars: Ahsoka General Hera Syndulla Funko Pop! Vinyl Figure #653
Twi’lek General Hera Syndulla is one of the protagonists in Ahsoka, although not always appreciated by others in the New Republic in the mini-series. She’s a strong leader, competent, persistent in following the course to what’s right, and an ally to Ahsoka. You’ll probably also like her droid “Chopper.” She’s played by North Carolina native, Mary Elizabeth Winstead. Did you see her in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Touched by an Angel, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, Fargo, or Promised Land? How about as Huntress in Birds of Prey? Yeah! She’s also won – Daytime Emmy, Saturn, etc. – and been nominated for a slew of other awards, including Screen Actors Guild, Teen Choice, and Critics’ Choice Television. Suffice it to say, we’re lucky to have Mary Elizabeth as Hera in Ahsoka.
Morgan Elsbeth is played by Diana Lee Inosanto
In Ahsoko, Morgan Elsbeth is a former Calodan Magistrate and one of the few surviving Nightsisters (or Witches or Daughters) of Dathomir. She’s a powerful magic-wielding dark-sider able to tap into the magical ichor in the depths of her planet and is allied with Grand Admiral Thrawn. Not a good combination for Ahsoka, her comrades, or the rest of us. On the plus side, Elsbeth is portrayed by Diana Lee Inosanto, a multitalented actress, stuntwoman, martial artist, director, and writer. Bruce Lee was her godfather. So, you probably don’t want to give her a hard time! Before Ahsoka, she appeared in The Mandalorian, as well as Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Walker: Texas Ranger, Star Trek: Enterprise, Hulk, The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, and many others. Trust us: You’ll know Diana Lee when you see her.
Baylan Skoll is played by Ray Stevenson
Baylon Skoll is a former Jedi who survived Order 66 by fleeing into the Unknown Regions. Now a “Dark Jedi” and mercenary, he’s Shin Hati’s (see below) master, working with not-so-nice Morgan Elsbeth, an ally of Thrawn. In the role of Skoll, we find none other than the amazing Ray Stevenson. During his lifetime, Irish actor Stevenson accumulated a mountain of memorable roles in film and television, and on stage. These include Punisher: War Zone, The Super Hero Squad Show, Thor, The Three Musketeers, Dexter, and many more, plus a voice in Star Wars Rebels and Star Wars: The Clone Wars. Ray was a great actor who will be missed.
Shin Hati is played by Ivanna Sakhno
Another villain in the piece is Baylan Skoll’s apprentice, Shin Hati, an intense and somewhat mysterious lightsaber-wielding Dark Jedi like her master. She too survived the purge of Order 66 and fled into the Unknown Regions to become a mercenary in the employ of Morgan Elsbeth. In Ahsoka, Shin and Sabine Wren come face to face on more than one occasion in the struggle between the forces of good and evil over the star map to the location of Grand Admiral Thrawn, and Hati proves to be a more than worthy opponent. Wherever Shin Hati is, there will be trouble! Shin is ably portrayed by Ukrainian actress Ivanna Sakhno, known primarily for her roles in Pacific Rim Uprising and The Spy Who Dumped Me, as well as Ivan the Powerful and Lesia + Roma, the first Ukrainian-language sitcom. But there are others, both in film and on television. Ivanna is downright scary in Ahsoka, and we think you’ll love her.
Captain Rex is played by Temuera Morrison
I wrote this little bit, but I don’t think we should include Captain Rex / Temeura Morrison in this blog. I can’t find him as a character in this movie anywhere – Imdb, Wiki, Wookieepedia, etc. I think listing him here is an error.
Temuera Morrison is a familiar face to Star Wars and DC fans, due to his performances as Jango Fett in Attack of the Clones and later as Boba Fett in The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett. He also played Arthur Curry’s father in Aquaman, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, and The Flash. But he’s been in many, many other movies and television shows, and you probably also know his voice from his multiple voice roles, including Moana and various video games. Watch for him as Captain Rex in Ahsoka!
Ezra Bridger is played by Eman Esfandi
Star Wars Rebels Ezra Bridger FiGPiN Classic 3-Inch Enamel Pin
Who the heck is Ezra Bridger? Sabine Wren is obsessed with him (she even has his old lightsaber), and Ahsoka thinks she might find him when she locates Thrawn. But who is he? Ezra first appeared as the primary antagonist in the Star Wars Rebels animated series. An orphaned street urchin and con artist, he was taken in, befriended, and trained in the Jedi arts by Kanan Jarrus. He sacrificed himself to defeat Grand Admiral Thrawn and vanished into the Unknown Regions of the galaxy with him. Is Ezra alive today? Sabine Wren thinks so, and she and Ahsoka set out to find him and Thrawn in the 2023 mini-series, Bridger’s first live-action appearance.
In Ahsoka, the role of Ezra Bridger is filled by Eman Esfandi. Eman is probably best known for King Richard, 120, and Pepito, but he was also seen in The Inspection, Red 11, and many others. He produced and directed 120 and Pepito. Quite a talented guy!
