Latinos Are Making Waves in the Star Wars Franchise & We’re Here for It

Happy May the 4th! Or, as many call it, “Star Wars Day,” when we celebrate the franchise created by George Lucas in the 1970s.

Fans have used the pun “May the Fourth(Force) Be With You” since the original film’s release in May 1977.

Since those early days, Latinos have been part of the cast, although some in the audience may not have realized it.

Talented actors like Pablo Hidalgo and Jimmy Smits opened the doors for other Latinos in the Star Wars saga.

And over the past few decades, this list has grown considerably, which is a cause for celebration for those of us who have been asking for so many years for fair representation of our community on the big screen.

Now, Star Wars will feature even more Latino talent, and we’re here to celebrate them.

Pedro Pascal in ‘The Mandalorian’

Pedro Pascal is officially part of the fourth season of “The Mandalorian.” Its creator, Jon Favreau, told French news station BFMTV that the team already wrote the whole season.

“We have to know where we’re going to tell a fully formed story. We had mapped it out, [showrunner] Dave [Filoni] and I, and slowly you just write each episode. I was writing it during post-production. All of it has to feel like a continuation and one full story.”

However, there are rumors that Pedro’s character Mando won’t be the protagonist of the fourth season.

Rosario Dawson is the star of the next Star Wars series

Dawson plays “AhsoKa,” a beloved character in the Star Wars franchise known for her bravery, strength, and wisdom. She debuted in the animated series “Star Wars: The Clone Wars” as a Padawan to Anakin Skywalker. 

AhsoKa left the Jedi Order after being wrongfully accused of treason. She continued to fight for what was right and became a leader in the Rebel Alliance. Ahsoka’s legacy lives on as one of the only Jedi l ft during the sequel era as one of the greatest Jedi in the entire Star Wars series.

In March 2020, it was announced that Rosario Dawson would be portraying Ahsoka Tano in the second season of the Disney+ series “The Mandalorian.” 

The Star Wars franchise fans were thrilled with the casting news, as Dawson had previously expressed interest in playing the character and had even dressed up as Ahsoka for Halloween. 

Dawson’s casting was seen as a significant win for the series and for Latinos in Hollywood, as she is a well-respected actress with a long list of impressive credits to her name. Dawson’s portrayal of Ahsoka in some episodes of “The Mandalorian” was highly praised by critics and fans alike.

Diego Luna and Adria Arjona return in the second season of “Andor” 

Cassian Andor is a character in the film “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.” Played superbly by Diego Luna, Andor is a rebel spy who has dedicated his life to the fight against the Empire. 

He is known for his quick thinking, resourcefulness, and willingness to do whatever it takes to achieve his goals while struggling with his complex character and dark past, having been involved in many morally questionable actions in service of the rebellion. 

The story of how he became a rebel was central to the first season of the Disney+ series.

Another Latina in the Star Wars universe is Adria Arjona, who played Bix Caleen, a mechanical ex-girlfriend and supporter of Andor. She has already said that she will be coming back for season 2. Unfortunately, we must wait until August next year to see them in their iconic roles again.

Jimmi Smits has been part of the Star Wars Universe since its inception. The Puerto Rican actor has been playing his character of Senator Bail Organa for over 30 years and will no doubt keep at it in the following productions.

There is also an impressive amount of Latino talent behind the scenes in upcoming shows, including —but not limited to— directors Gabriel Osorio in “Star Wars: Vision, season,” Alonso Ruizpalacios in “Andor,” Alex García López in “​​Star Wars: The Acolyte.”