Ahsoka star Rosario Dawson recently compared filming the Disney+ Star Wars series to her experiences on the set of 2005's Sin City.
Dawson hailed the advances in virtual production since the Sin City shoot in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, noting how ultra-high-definition LED displays were now replacing green screens. "When we walked onto the Ahsoka set, I would say, 'We've come a long way from Sin City's tape on the floor to [Industrial Light & Magic's LED screen-enclosed soundstage] the Volume,'" she said. "And it's been pretty remarkable watching how all of the tech and the ways we do it change."
This isn't the first time Dawson has extolled the virtues of the Volume, either. The star raved about the immersive qualities of the cutting-edge soundstage in a recent interview, opining that it made her feel like she was truly transported to a galaxy far, far away during principal photography on Ahsoka. "My sabers light up and I'm looking at just Star Wars. Literally ceiling to wall -- classic, proper Star Wars... I remember the director called action and I just kind of…didn't move? I was just so transfixed by the moment," Dawson said.
Rosario Dawson Discusses Ahsoka's Original Voice Actor
At least one of Dawson's other memorable moments on the Ahsoka set had nothing to do with ILM's pioneering technology, though. The actor recently recalled the day that original Ahsoka Tano voice actor Ashley Eckstein paid the production a visit, labeling it an "absolutely remarkable" experience. Dawson noted that she could see Eckstein's passion for the Ahsoka character, whom she voiced in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Star Wars Rebels, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker and Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi, "in her eyes." She also assured fans that Eckstein is still "so much a part" of Ahsoka, despite not actually appearing in the series.
For her part, Eckstein previously made it clear that she's happy sharing Ahsoka Tano with Dawson, and is grateful every time Lucasfilm invites her back to voice the character. More recently, the voice actor reflected on how her devotion to the role paid off when Star Wars fans finally overcame their initial hostility towards Ahsoka. "I took a day to have a pity party. Then, I was like, 'No -- this character is amazing. And everyone else is going to see what I see if they just give her time,'" Eckstein said of her reaction to the early anti-Ahsoka backlash.
Ahsoka debuts on Disney+ on Aug. 23, 2023, and will run for eight episodes.
Source: THR