The secrets of the Star Wars universe remain under lock and key even at yesterday’s Star Wars Rebels press conference where show creator Dave Filoni attended with cast members Taylor Gray (Ezra Bridger), Ashley Eckstein (Ahsoka Tano), and Sarah Michelle Gellar, who plays a new inquisitor called the Seventh Sister. Still, the group was extremely excited about what’s in store for fans of the series.
Gellar was incredibly thrilled about joining the mega-franchise and it’s a family affair for the Buffy star since husband Freddie Prinze Jr. voices Jedi Master Kanan Jarrus in the animated series.
“I’m in Star Wars, I mean like come on and I don’t know that it necessarily hit me right away when I was hitting everybody up for a role on it but you know for the rest of my life I am now part of this family. I’m part of the legend, I’m part of the lore, I’m part of the story. As Ashley has proved you never know where somebody’s gonna pop up in that,” said Gellar.
Regarding her character, the actress adored that the Seventh Sister was so villainous. “She just doesn’t go in for the kill. She wants to play with you. She wants to have some fun torturing you and then she kills you.”
Another exciting point during the press conference was the discussion of Ahsoka’s return. Eckstein explains that she’s had to adjust her performance. “She’s changed from where we were. Her affiliation with the Jedi is not as direct as it used to be. She’s not convinced after walking away from the end of the Republic.”
Meanwhile when asked if the films affected the TV series and vice-versa, Filoni couldn’t say how exactly, but that he was kept in the loop and the Lucasfilm Story Group was heavily involved to make certain that all forms of storytelling (films, TV shows, books, video games, and comic books) were cohesive. “Because I’m working on Star Wars, it’s a well-defined universe, I try to make decisions that is good for Star Wars. I’ve never seen myself as someone who’s controlling of it or that it’s my thing. I’ve always sort of respected that I’m a shepherd of it,” he said.
Filoni also discussed how thrilled he was to be working with James Earl Jones who reprises his iconic role as the voice of Darth Vader.
“Some days you walk in and you just talk to Darth Vader. He’s there and we’ve piped him in Skywalker Sound and Matt Wood and I, sitting there recording him. And it’s one of those rare times when you kind of almost break your façade and be like this is so cool.”
Eckstein adds, “We’re all Star Wars fans, the fact that my voice gets to share the screen with James Earl Jones I just can’t even comprehend it quite honestly. So it’s amazing and several other actors have returned from the films.”
In addition, fans can also look forward to finding out about Ezra’s parents. According to Gray this storyline will be featured in the upcoming season.
Aside from the press conference and panel, a screening of two new episodes was also held where audiences were reunited with Captain Rex, Captain Gregor, and Commander Wolf from Star Wars Clone Wars.
Star Wars Rebels returns October 14 on Disney XD.
