Rosario Dawson Teases Hayden Christensen's Appearance In 'Star Wars' Series 'Ahsoka'

Actress Rosario Dawson played coy when she was asked if actor Hayden Christensen would reprise his role as Anakin Skywalker and Darth Vader for the new "Star Wars" live-action series, "Ahsoka," which is scheduled to hit Disney+ in August.

Although the character of Ahsoka Tano got her start in the animates series "The Clone Wars" and "Star Wars Rebels," Dawson helped the character make her live-action debut in "The Mandalorian" and reprised her role in "The Book of Boba Fett."

Although Hayden Christensen is best known for portraying Anakin Skywalker's downfall and his birth as Darth Vader in the prequel trilogy, he recently reprised his role for the "Obi-Wan Kenobi" Disney+ series, which is making fans hope that he will return to star in "Ahsoka."

In a new interview with Total Film, Rosario Dawson revealed that she and Hayden Christensen were both classmates and the Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute early on in their respective careers.

"It's pretty remarkable and exciting," Dawson said of their shared history. "We were teenagers, and then I saw him right immediately afterward go into this universe. I never could have fathomed that I would have had any part of that, besides just being a fan of his, and being really proud of him."

However, she would not outright confirm whether or not her old classmate would be appearing in the new "Star Wars" series. "It's just been really cool that at this moment, I'm joining it, and he's been able to come back [in 2022’s Obi-Wan Kenobi] and also get embraced by the Star Wars family in a way that I think is much deserved," she said. "It's definitely one of those things that would be super cool if he was [in Ahsoka], but I'm just really grateful that we're in the same universe."

Many fans are hopeful that they will get to see Darth Vader have a live-action lightsaber match with Ahsoka Tano, who used to be Anakin Skywalker's padawan. Although they already had a confrontation in "Star Wars: Rebels," fans are hopeful that the two will get to have a rematch in live-action. Dawson certainly hinted that she had to undergo some pretty intense training for her role in a May 2023 interview with Entertainment Weekly on their Dagobah Dispatch podcast.

She said that the training was “pretty intense” and recalled how she had to practice handling Ahsoka's lightsaber for two hours a day, seven days a week. Her training only continued when she started filming her scenes. “And then you add on when we were actually filming and doing these different battles and having to continue to studying it,” she added.

Ahsoka is also ambidextrous, which Dawson called "just a lot to kind of own." She also hinted that the show jumps right into the action, describing that Ahsoka is "so fierce from the very beginning." Dawson told the publication, “It was never a question about whether she is capable. She meets every single match just so head-on. There’s no hesitancy from her whatsoever, and that’s really different from someone who’s learning martial arts in their 40s who’s trying to protect their face.”

In addition to learning how to skillfully wield a lightsaber with both hands, the actress admitted that she also had to pull off Jedi mind tricks and use the Force in a way that would look convincing on screen. “It’s the intention and the desire behind it,” she explained. “I feel like I have it more than someone who just wants to move an object.”

“I definitely feel more powerful and confident portraying this character, and I think it does show up,” she added. “Even when I’m meditating, I feel that there is an energy that we have and a power that we have that if we do concentrate it and focus it in the right ways can move mountains.”

“Ahsoka” will become available to stream on Disney+ on August 23, 2023. Fans can check out the teaser trailer, which was first announced at Star Wars Celebration London, below.