Why Garsa Fwip From The Book Of Boba Fett Looks So Familiar
Warning: Spoilers for "The Book of Boba Fett" below
"The Book of Boba Fett" was finally released on Disney at 3 A.M. EST today, to the delight of fans everywhere. Since his first appearance in "Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back," the laconic bounty hunter has made a name for himself and continues to prove that he cannot be defeated — even by a Sarlacc. Boba Fett (Temuera Morrison) returns in his iconic Mandalorian helmet in "The Mandalorian," and now he is joined by Fennec Shand (Ming-Na Wen) in a new series for Disney+.
In the new show, Fett returns to Tatooine to find that things have changed since Jabba the Hutt's demise. Justice has been given back to the Twi'leks, as they are no longer slaves to the whims of the gangster. Instead, one Twi'lek is the proprietor of a cantina called The Sanctuary — Garsa Fwip (Jennifer Beals). She recognizes Fett from the moment he first steps foot in her establishment. She is not the main focus of the episode, only appearing long enough to give Fett a helmet full of coins, but fans would be right if they surmised that they had seen the Twi'lek somewhere before.
Jennifer Beals had her breakout role in 1983's Flashdance
The '80s were full of dance movies, but none so iconic as "Flashdance," which stars Jennifer Beals in her breakout role as Alex Owens. Welder by day and exotic dancer by night, Alex chases her dream to be accepted into a prestigious ballet company. Along the way, she is challenged by the pitfalls of working in a man's world as well as a romance from her boss, Nick (Michael Nouri).
What makes "Flashdance" stand above all the other films of the era is the up close and personal dance scenes, and the fact that the film has one of the best soundtracks of the 1980s. But what really makes "Flashdance" memorable is, of course, Alex's wet dance scene. It seems impossible that there could've been a reality in which this scene did not make it into the final film, but director Adrian Lyne had to fight the studio to make sure they understood how the scene would look and what made it so essential to "Flashdance" (via Showbiz CheatSheet). Now, the rest is history.
Beals starred in the groundbreaking The L Word and its sequel series
The introduction of "The L Word" into mainstream television was groundbreaking. Before the show aired in 2004 on Showtime, conversations regarding queer women in media were one note (via NBC News). Jennifer Beals portrays Bette Porter for the scope of the show and in its recent continuation series, "The L Word: Generation Q." What's important for her character, as well as countless others in the series, is depicting the authentic inner lives of queer women. Bette is a complicated character. She cares about her high-powered position, while also immersing herself in self-destructive tendencies. This complex character makes the show even more impactful, and she is a major contribution to the recent reboot in 2019.
Beals told Today about the importance of these stories, explaining, "One of the reasons we wanted to bring back the show is that you have this generation who is so thoroughly authentic that they wouldn't accept any kind of preconceived labels about their gender or their sexuality." Beals not only depicts the relatable personal life of an older Bette in "The L Word: Generation Q," but she also returned as a producer. This ensured that she and the fellow cast and producers were telling the stories that they felt were relevant to the new generation.
She starred in the 2010 dystopian movie The Book of Eli
"The Book of Boba Fett" is not the only book that Jennifer Beals was involved in. After years of consistent credits, she appeared in the Denzel Washington-led dystopian film "The Book of Eli." The film depicts a future in which Earth is so irradiated that it is an inhospitable wasteland. There are communities that keep a steady hand on water, but being on the road is dangerous.
One such community leader is Carnegie (Gary Oldman), who is obsessed with obtaining a Bible. Books are how he keeps his power, and the Bible is the ultimate weapon against his subjects. Beals plays a vital role in this conflict as Claudia, Carnegie's consort. She suffers his direct abuse, while also having to see him do the same to her daughter Solara (Mila Kunis). All the while, she struggles to live as a blind person at the end of the world. But when Carnegie finally gets his hands on a Bible in the final moments of the film, he discovers that it's in braille, so Claudia is the only one who can read it. She exercises the only power she has and refuses to translate it for him after everything he has done to her.
"The Book of Eli" is a clever perspective on a possible future for the human race. It values knowledge, but demonstrates that abuse of power will always exist. The film also highlights the strength of the main characters, especially those who are visually impaired.