Ashley Eckstein, the voice actress behind belovedStar Warscharacter Ahsoka Tano for nearly two decades, has some rather blunt advice for those looking to dive into the character’s upcoming live-action series. But that definitely shouldn’t keep any interested fans from maintaining those hype levels.
SomeStar Warsfans may have found themselves at a bit of a loss when checking out the latest trailers for the show. While certainly exciting, they also include a ton of information that could go right over the heads of casual viewers. Along with finallyrevealing Lars Mikkelsen as Thrawn inAhsoka, the trailers and previews for the series almost require knowledge of pastStar Warsshows to understand what’s going on. Well, according to Eckstein, that may be precisely the case.
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In a recent interview withCinemaBlend, Eckstein took a break from promoting her upcoming Her Universe fangirl-oriented fashion show at San Diego Comic-Con to speak frankly about howStar Warsfans should prepare for the live-actionAhsokaseries starring Rosario Dawson in the title role. “I actually recommend to everyone who is excited about the upcomingAhsokaseries, I highly recommend that you take the time to watchClone Wars, and watchStar Wars Rebels, and evenStar Wars: Tales of the Jedi,” she said when asked about the previous animated shows. “Because if you don’t, you’re going to miss out on crucial, crucial backstory that you really need to know to fully enjoy theAhsokaseries, which is so exciting.”
While series creatorDave Filoni has confirmedAhsoka’s connection toStar Wars Rebels, he has also been careful not to imply that new fans will need to brush up on lore a bit before the series premieres. Eckstein, however, didn’t mince words. But she seems to be doing it out of love for the character and stories. “We’re gonna get so many new and incredible stories,” she continued, “but without that backstory, and full understanding of who Ahsoka is and even who the other characters are, you’re not going to have as rich or in-depth of an understanding and appreciation of what’s going to happen in the series without the backstory, so I’m very grateful thatClone WarsandRebelsandTales the Jediare on Disney+. Any chance I get, I tell fans, ‘Go and watch it and binge it before you watch theAhsokaseries. It’s really gonna matter.'”
Eckstein has been through a lot as Ahsoka. She was there whenAhsokasurvived Order 66and for the Togruta Jedi’s first meeting with her new Master, Anakin Skywalker. So it makes sense that the actress would have such an affinity for the role even when she’s not the one behind it. She’s also not wrong that there’s a lot of homework for those who want to fully understand Ahsoka as a character. So interested fans may want to get binging.
However, those who find the prospect intimidating should know that it’s likely not entirely required to enjoyAhsoka. Despite featuringreturning characters like Hera Syndulla, newcomers can still jump in and enjoy themselves. This isStar Wars, after all. It wouldn’t be as beloved if it wasn’t easy to pick things up along the way. So watch the animated shows if possible, but don’t sweat it if a long marathon isn’t in the cards.
Ahsokawill premiere its first 2 episodes on August 23rd on Disney Plus.
