Star Wars: Episode VII cast announced, bringing back original stars including Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill

Adam Driver's casting was old news and John Boyega (insanely charismatic in Attack the Block- who looks like a baby Denzel Washington) was rumored, but the additions of Oscar Isaac and Domhnall Gleeson are great news. Both are talented and been on the verge of a breakout for years. Actually surprised this is Max von Sydow's first go-around with the franchise. I kinda love that Driver and Isaac are having an Inside Llewyn Davis reunion in, of all places, a Star Wars film.

Only real complaint is there once again seems like a single new major female character and I have no idea who Daisy Ridley is.

Updated On: 4/30/14 at 01:02 PM

Daisy Ridley: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know

Updated On: 4/29/14 at 01:43 PM

Billy Dee! Billy Dee! Billy Dee!

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I watch Mr. Selfridge, and I have no idea who Daisy Ridley is.

She must have played third shopgirl from the left in one episode.

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Jesse Plemons and Lupita Nyong'o both were rumored. I think Plemons, and one of the footmen from Downton Abbey, was up for the part that went to Boyega, which is rumored to be the lead of the whole movie. So as much as I think Plemons' work on Breaking Bad was genius and want him to also be a star (namely to revive the American Western), Boyega being the face of this movie franchise would be major. Especially when there is the fact he was so talented in Attack the Block and just has that uncanny Denzel Washington likeness.

Lupita, however, I am not really sure what she was up for and she may well be up for the female role currently up for grabs. She recently switched agencies so maybe that change had Lucasfilm/Disney hold on the announcement.

On the McWeeny piece, I follow him on Twitter and found him a bit weirdly defensive. But I do like how he mentions Black Widow as being grabbed onto as the favorite superhero of young girls. I want that Black Widow movie dammit!!!! I don't really mind if there are members of the cast who are the Solo/Skywalker brood at all. I especially don't care whether or not they are their own thing or connected to Expanded Universe, which the prequels subtly did which were honestly some of the least egregious aspects of the prequels. But if Daisy Ridley is the female lead and that female lead is substantial, rather than Uhura in the Star Trek franchise who seems stuck on the periphery, that can be great, too.

Also want to note that Adam Driver will still be a Girls Season 4 regular and I think the events that happened in the final episodes of Season 3 help explain a lot of the development and trajectory of Adam Sackler (and his relationship with Hannah), so I am certain the Girls creative team knew months in advance to this announcement.

I read the McWeeney piece, too, and also found it lacking. It IS still a numbers game, because even if the movie has one or two really well-written female characters, that's STILL A PROBLEM if they're only 15-20% of the entire cast. It's not a choice between a small number of well-written female characters and a larger number of poorly-written ones. It's still a numbers game because the numbers are still wrong, and we shouldn't have to be content with one awesome character in a sea of men.

Really great to see Lupita Nyong'o get more work.


BREAKING: Oscar Winner Lupita Nyong'o & More Join Cast of STAR WARS: EPISODE VII