New Look At Keri Russell's Rise Of Skywalker Character Is Mysterious As Ever
A new look at one of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker's most intriguing characters has been revealed.
Entertainment Weekly recently dropped the exclusive new look at Zorri Bliss, played by Keri Russell. Though the photo depicts the character — described as a "rogue operative" — during what looks to be an intense scene, it doesn't show her face. Zorri's visage is hidden beneath an enormous yet sleek helmet. In the picture, one can see her holding some sort of coin — which could mean any number of things. Is she a trader? A gambler? Someone sent on a high-stakes mission of which the coin is a vital part? Or is Zorri actually clutching a data storage device, and what's held on it has the potential to bring down the First Order and/or the Rebellion?
Entertainment Weekly
All we know for certain is that Zorri isn't aligned with either side of the battle raging in the galaxy far, far away. Still, Russell has previously revealed that Zorri is a friend of Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac), but the specifics of her connection to him are complicated. At this year's D23, the actress dished a little on her character, saying, "She has a little bit of a checkered past and maybe some questionable morals, but she's really an old friend of Poe's. I think the entrance of Zorri is there to describe more of who he was, y'know, in a very intimate way and a familiar way, and the friends are sort of like, 'What do you mean, you know him?'"
The Rise of Skywalker will reunite Russell with current Star Wars overlord J.J. Abrams, who helped a young Russell skyrocket to fame when he cast her as the titular role in his hit late-1990s show Felicity (yes, the one with the haircut).
Rumors about Russell's role in The Rise of Skywalker
Though Russell's Zorri Bliss has been confirmed for a while now, rumors as to who she might be playing ran rampant following news of her casting — with some fans theorizing that she could possibly play Rey's (Daisy Ridley) mother or some other relative. Ever since The Force Awakens was released and presented a major mystery about who Rey's parents might be and where she got her strong grasp of the Force, fans have wanted an answer. They still do to this day, even after Rian Johnson's The Last Jedi pulled an about-face to reveal that Rey's parents were "nobody" — a twist many fans are hoping will be reversed in The Rise of Skywalker.
For her part, Russell has expressed nothing but enthusiasm about her upcoming role, saying she "cried" when she read the script. She also shared with The Associated Press that her former boss Abrams was definitely the right man to write and direct The Rise of Skywalker: "He's not trying to change [the Skywalker saga] to be something else. He really respects what it is."
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker soars into theaters on December 20, so fans will have to wait until then to discover the truth about Russell's mysterious character.