Ahsoka's Rosario Dawson Teases The Live-Action Star Wars Villain We've All Been Waiting For

Ahsoka Tano made a splash with "Star Wars" fans when she first debuted in "The Clone Wars." Voiced by Ashley Eckstein, Tano started as Anakin Skywalker's close friend and Padawan. Following her voluntary exile from the Jedi Order, the character appeared in "Star Wars Rebels" as an aide to would-be Jedi Ezra Bridger. Since Dawson has wanted to play Ahsoka Tano in "Star Wars" for years, it made her casting all the more special. Dawson wears her love for the character on her sleeve and made it clear to Vanity Fair that she intends on playing the Jedi for the rest of her life. And from the looks of it, the franchise has a long and steady plan for her. 

A live-action Tano also opened up several possibilities for the "Star Wars" franchise. Lucasfilm and Disney saved audiences from speculation when it was confirmed that Dawson would return following her appearances on "The Mandalorian" and "The Book of Boba Fett." Details are slim on the upcoming "Star Wars" project, though the teaser at Star Wars Celebration 2022 confirmed that several "Star Wars Rebels" characters are returning.

The show will also see the live-action debut of an infamous "Star Wars" villain who will hopefully have a showdown with Dawson's Jedi warrior.

In Season 2 of "The Mandalorian," Rosario Dawson's character explicitly mentioned hunting down Grand Admiral Thrawn, a character who made their canonical debut in "Rebels." "Star Wars" purists, however, will remember the villain from Timothy Zahn's "Thrawn" trilogy, which sold over 15 million copies following its release in the '90s (via WUWF).

While speaking at the Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo (via Laughing Place), Dawson was asked about Thrawn's whereabouts. The reserved Dawson joked about the "Star Wars" villain, saying, "That dude, man ... incognito. Maybe we get the Scarlet Witch to help us; she can jump through Multiverses, right?" The Ahsoka actor confirmed that Thrawn would play a pivotal role in the "Star Wars" series, hinting that seeds were planted in "The Mandalorian." " ... That's a really big key kind of giveaway in 'Mando' about what my show could potentially be about. Obviously, we are really trying to track [Thrawn] down, so we'll see what happens ... " Dawson maintained that she would remain tight-lipped as she was only halfway through production on the Disney+ series.

Earlier this year, Dawson suggested that Lars Mikkelsen would play Thrawn in the series, though no casting details have been confirmed. Before Star Wars Celebration, Vanity Fair confirmed that the show would arrive on Disney+ in 2023.