Well that was fast. An exclusive report from Collider reveals that British actress Gugu Mbatha-Raw has been chosen as one of the female leads for the upcoming Star Wars Episode VIII. The announcement comes just days after her name was added to the short-list of possible candidates.
Earlier this week, Latino Review broke the news that the relatively unknown 32 year old had auditioned for a part in the new Star Wars' Trilogy's middle installment. The article stated that Episode VIII would have two 'substantial' female roles drawing from the same pool of actresses.
Aside from Mbatha-Raw, actresses in the running for a part in the film included Jane the Virgin star Gina Rodriguez, Orphan Black's Tatiana Maslany, and Me, Earl, and The Dying Girl's Olivia Cooke.
Part of the auditioning process was a 'chemistry read' with John Boyega, which indicates that at least one of the roles mays serve as a love interest for his character Finn. Whether or not this is the part Mbatha-Raw landed has yet to be divulged.
The Collider announcement doesn't mention how this casting decision affects the fates of the other three contenders.
Mbatha-Raw first came up on the Hollywood radar thanks to her lead performance in last year's Beyond the Lights. She's also had a small role in the Wachowski's sci-fi action film Jupiter Ascending and is already booked to star opposite Will Smith in the upcoming American Football expose Concussion.
To see her and the rest of the new Star Wars cast, we'll have to wait until May 26, 2017 when Episode VIII hits theatres. The Rian Johnson directed film is shaping up nicely. Mbatha-Raw becomes the second new name to join the cast, following the announcement of Benicio Del Toro's selection earlier this year.
