Recasting a beloved character is never easy. Don’t believe me? Look no further than the controversy surrounding the casting of Lashana Lynch as the new 007. Keep in mind: she’s only playing the new 007. Daniel Craig is still James Bond…. For now. When it comes to Star Wars, however, the scrutiny of casting choices is intensified tenfold. Despite the film being solid and enjoyable, the biggest criticism of Solo: A Star Wars Story remains the casting of Alden Ehrenreich as Han Solo. Will Rosario Dawson now face the same scrutiny with her portrayal of Ahsoka Tano?

Gray Jedi; Ahoska Tano; Rosario Dawson
Ahoska as she appeared in Star Wars Rebels. (Image: Lucasfilm ltd.)

Though not Disney and Lucasfilm official, most outlets are reporting that Dawson will join Season 2 of the hit series The Manadalorian. She’ll do so portraying fan-favorite character Ahsoka Tano. Ahsoka began as a Anakin Skywalker’s snippy padawan and grew to be one of the most loved characters of the franchise. Since her introduction in 2008, through a voice cameo in The Rise of Skywalker, Ashley Eckstein has portrayed Ahoska with aplomb. The question remains: Can Rosario Dawson fill Eckstein’s sizeable shoes with such an adored character?

Can Rosario Dawson truly portray Ahsoka Tano?

Dawson is an accomplished actress in her own right. Many critics herald her character of Claire Temple in the Netflix Marvel series (Jessica Jones, Daredevil, Iron Fist, etc.) as one of the shows’ biggest highlights. Bringing a character that Eckstein has portrayed in voice to perfection for over a decade to live-action, however? That’s a tall order for Rosario Dawson. If she doesn’t nail it, Star Wars fans will not be forgiving. Just ask Ehrenreich.

Rosario Dawson
Rosario Dawson as Claire Temple in the Netflix Marvel series. (Image: Netflix)

But….

Please forgive is for saying so, Alden, but Dawson has far more acting experience, and range, than perhaps Ehrenreich had when he filmed Solo. She also has the benefit of working with the writer and producer who literally created Ahsoka Tano in the first place. If anyone can assure that Rosario Dawson fully embodies the Ahsoka character appropriately, it’s Dave Filoni.

Still, as mentioned above, Star Wars fans are not the most accepting when things differ from their expectations. We wish Dawson all the best and truly hope that her Ahsoka portrayal doesn’t go the way of Solo.

Season 2 of The Mandalorian arrives this coming October, 2020.