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Back when the firstStar Warsmovies were released, there was a dearth of strong female characters in the franchise. But with time, the mega-franchise saw the addition of Padme in the prequel trilogy and Rey in the sequels, alongside Carrie Fisher’s iconic Leia Organa. Nonetheless, the franchise has always been short of powerful female role models for a long time. However, with the release ofStar Wars: The Clone WarsandThe Mandalorian, female fans of the franchise could finally resonate with characters likeAhsoka Tano, Sabine Wren, Cara Dune, Fennec Shand, and her majesty,Bo-Katan Kryze. Reprising her role from the critically acclaimed animated series, Katee Sackhoff made her first live-action appearance as Bo-Katan inChapter 11: The Heiressof the second season ofThe Mandalorian.
Related:The Great Purge: Every Notable Mandalorian Who Survived
Since her appearance, Bo-Katan has become wildly popular among the more casual fanbase ofStar Wars. As a result, thesecond season finale ofThe Mandalorianpotentially set-up Bo-Katan as an antagonist against Din Djarin for the throne of Mandalore for thethird season. Despite the character’s limited screen time, Katee Sackhoff’s performance has received wide recognition. However, in a recent episode ofInside of Youpodcast with Michael Rosenbaum, Katee Sackhoff has revealed that she expected someone like Scarlett Johansson to be cast as Bo-Katan Kryze for the live-action adaptation. Having previously lent her voice for the character in bothStar Wars: The Clone WarsandStar Wars Rebels, the actor was unsure if she would become the first choice for Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni forThe Mandalorian. In the podcast, she also reveals her childhood dream of being a part of theStar Warsuniverse, and her journey so far.
“When I was a little kid, I idolized male action stars because there were not a lot of female ones in the ’80s. We had the Sigourney Weavers, and we had the Linda Hamiltons and Lucy Lawless, but we also had Princess Leia who was smart and feisty and gorgeous and a ball buster and capable and caring and so well-rounded. So from a young age, I loved Star Wars. I always joked that when I first moved to California, ‘Now look, there’s only one thing I’ll always do. If they call me to be a rock in a Star Wars movie, just say yes. I’ll be a rock just to be in this world.”
About a decade ago, Sackhoff got a call from Dave Filoni if she was interested to play the role of Bo-Katan inThe Clone Wars. Without wasting a single minute, she accepted the offer as she candidly revealed in the podcast. “I jumped,” she recalls. “It wasn’t even like a think twice. I was like, ‘Of course. That’s amazing. A female Mandalorian warrior? Uh, hello, of course.'”
Related:The Mandalorian Season 3: Classic Star Wars Characters We Want To See Next
Since her time with Dave Filoni atThe Clone Wars, the duo was always joking about a live-action adaptation of the character. But naturally, she had always assumed that the role would go to someone like Scarlett Johansson, who was taking the industry by storm with her strong acting performances and widely acclaimed movies. Having starred in movies likeLost in Translation,The Prestige,Match Point, andVicky Christina Barcelona, the actor had also landed the role of Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow for Marvel Studios.
Related:Scarlett Johansson Reveals She Wasn’t The First Choice For Black Widow
Related:Scarlett Johansson Movies Ranked (by Rotten Tomatoes)
At Star Wars Celebration, Katee Sackhoff once again met Dave Filoni whenThe Mandalorianwas first announced. With a real opportunity of bringing Bo-Katan to the flesh, Sackhoff nudged Filoni for an opportunity while still keeping the ‘joking’ part intact. And as fate would have it, the actor finally found herself with Jon Favreau, the original creator behind the entire idea, with the offer of a lifetime to reprise her role fromThe Clone WarsinThe Mandalorian.
“It took me halfway through that meeting to realize that he was actually talking about me doing Bo-Katan. I’m still pinching myself, not only that they have the thought to do this but that they believed that I could and that they ultimately let me.”
While there’s not an iota of doubt that Scarlett Johansson would have been a phenomenal choice for the role, Katee Sackhoff’s determination, persistence, and passion for the character of Bo-Katan deservedly make her the perfect choice that Favreau and Filoni could have made.
Related:Star Wars: All The Upcoming Shows And Movies
The third season ofThe Mandalorianwill start filming this April. The first two seasons are currently streaming on Disney+ exclusively.
Akash Senapati
Senior Content Strategist
Articles Published :373
Akash is the Lead Content Strategist for FandomWire. Having started as a writer for FandomWire back in 2020, he now manages a global team of writers who share the same passion for motion arts, from Martin Scorsese to the latest MCU flick. He loves DC Comics, Anime, Pink Floyd, and sleeping in no particular order. His favorite graphic-medium writers are Grant Morrison, Chris Claremont, Christopher Priest, Garth Ennis, and Eiichiro Oda. Prep time > Aliens.
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Bo-Katan KryzeDave FiloniDisney+Jon FavreauKatee SackhoffScarlett JohanssonStar WarsStar Wars RebelsStar Wars: The Clone WarsThe Mandalorian
