Another Huge Casting Update!
Spoilers folks: Sorry I really wasn't up to putting the pics up too. you know where to go to get them!
Casting Update: Local Talent Continues
July 18, 2000 -- Even as George Lucas and the rest of the Star Wars: Episode II crew diligently work on making the daily principal photography happen, Casting Director Robin Gurland is finalizing selection of actors to make the new characters come to life.
Soon sharing the sound stage with the current cast (including recently announced Christopher Lee and Jimmy Smits) will be Ayesha Dharker, Temuera Morrison, Marton Csokas, Anthony Phelan, Ronald Falk, Rena Owen, Ian Watkin and Phoebe Yiamkiati.
In the international award-winning film, The Terrorist, Ayesha Dharker played the lead character Malli, a role that earned her a nomination for Best Actress from the National Film Awards of India and the Cairo Film Festival award for Best Artistic Contribution by an Actress. She played the lead in Manika and appeared with Patrick Swayze in City of Joy. Her numerous television roles include this year's mini-series Arabian Nights. Dharker will be bringing her talents to Episode II as a regal leader.
Episode II Casting Director Robin Gurland was completing casting in New York when she read an article in the New York Times by John Malkovich describing Dharker's performance in The Terrorist, a small film he saw at the Cairo Film Festival. "He praised both the film and Ayesha's performance," said Gurland, "but unfortunately I couldn't catch the film before I left New York. By chance Sam Jackson was filming Shaft in town and I stopped by the set to say hello. We started talking about films and as luck had it, Sam had just received a videotape of the movie. I borrowed the tape and was mesmerized by her performance. Fortunately, I was able to track her down and Ayehsa and I met in London."
Maori actor Temuera Morrison’s award winning performance in the film Once Were Warriors opened doors to several Hollywood roles. He is excited to join the cast of Episode II as a bounty hunter. "I have admired Temuera since first seeing him in Once Were Warriors," said Gurland. "When George was creating this role I spoke to him about Tem and he also thought Temuera would be a wonderful addition to the cast." Over the years, Morrison has appeared in such films as Barb Wire, The Island of Dr. Moreau, Speed 2, Six Days Seven Nights and Hangman’s Daughter.
In describing Marton Csokas, cast as a planetary leader in Episode II, Robin Gurland said, "It may sound a bit cliché, but you know immediately when someone's got the goods and I'm excited that he will be joining our cast." Along with over ten years in theatrical performances, his credits include spots on television's The Three Stooges, Farscape, and The Farm and on film in Rain, Broken English and Jack Brown Genius. Csokas will be seen as Celeborn in the upcoming The Lord of the Rings films.
Before Anthony Phelan was selected to play a global director in Episode II, Gurland was looking to fill his spot for a long time. "I was looking and looking and looking," she said, "until I saw Anthony play Creon in Seneca's Oedipus for the Sydney Theatre Company. I saw him on Wednesday, met with him on Friday and he began shooting on Tuesday." Along with dozens of theatrical productions, Phelan played the role of Ken Smith on television's Home & Away and appeared in Babe: Pig in the City, Heaven's Burning and the lead role in Great Falls.
A radio veteran for 20 years with ABC's The Science Show, Ronald Falk will play a local proprietor in Episode II. "I was attending a production of A Month in the Country at the Sydney Opera House and Ronnie was playing Bolshintsov, a loutish landowner and I thought how wonderful he would be for this role. This particular character needed a very distinctive voice and I saw those qualities in Ronnie's performance." Among Falk's extensive performing accomplishments are the 1988 Sydney Theatre Critic's Award for Best Supporting Performance in Rough Crossing and the Victorian Green Room Awards Best Supporting Actor for Newman Noggs, and a 1999 Norman Kessell Awards nomination for outstanding performance by an actor in Burnt Piano.
In addition to acting, Rena Owen has been a writer, director and producer. Cast in Episode II, Owen has appeared in such films as What Becomes of the Broken Hearted?, I'll Make You Happy and When Love Comes Along. Her role of Rix in Dance to My Song earned her multiple Australian film award nominations for Best Supporting Actress, while she won multiple film festival awards for Best Actress in Portugal, France, Canada and the U.S. for her role of Beth Heke in Once Were Warriors.
Ian Watkin has been acting extensively since 1970 in theatre, New Zealand television, and feature films. His numerous film credits include Braindead, Death Warmed Up, The Lost Tribe, Carry Me Back and Wild Man. Watkin has been cast as a food server in Episode II.
Five-year-old Phoebe Yiamkiati has already made several appearances in television and print advertising. She will be making her major motion picture debut in Episode II as a Jedi hopeful.
Looks like a lot of restaurant people in episode 2!
Waitress, Local proprietor, food server....
