Jessica Henwick had a six month long audition to play Rey in Star Wars: The Force Awakens. The Iron Fist star went through a long process for a chance to potentially star in the new Star Wars trilogy.
Jessica Henwick’s breakout role was as Colleen Wing in Marvel/Netflix’s Iron Fist and The Defenders series. Her character was an ally and love interest to Danny Rand aka Iron First, who held her own alongside the superhero as a talented martial artist and swordsman. She also played Nymeria Sand, one of the Sand Snakes in the infamous Dorne storyline on Game of Thrones. Henwick’s most recent role is as a research assistant in the sci-fi horror thriller, Underwater, where she stars alongside Kristen Stewart.
Hoping to be cast as Rey in The Force Awakens, Henwick auditioned for six months to try and land the role. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Henwick said that she was “a mess” after those six months, as she became emotionally invested in the character after going through such a lengthy audition process. The role of Rey would eventually go to Daisy Ridley, though director J.J. Abrams did decide to write a character for Henwick. She was eventually cast in The Force Awakens as X-wing pilot Jess Pava, and can be seen fighting alongside Oscar Issac’s Poe Dameron. The character’s story continues in the Star Wars comics and has become a favorite among die-hard fans.
Star Wars isn’t the only franchise known for their lengthy audition process. Most big budget films and popular franchises are notorious for being very thorough when casting. When auditioning for the role of Peter Parker/Spider-Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Tom Holland went to several auditions and was one of thousands of young men to audition for the role. Kelly Marie Tran, whose breakout role was as Rose Tico in Star Wars: The Last Jedi, said that her audition took five months. This process is known to wear on actors, who often make personal and professional sacrifices to be able to commit to such a long undertaking.
Jessica Henwick is no stranger to genre films and popular franchises. The English actress is set appear in Godzilla vs. Kong, the next addition in Warner Bros. MonsterVerse franchise. Henwick also landed her biggest role to date in October with a lead role in The Matrix 4. Details about the movie and her role have been kept under wraps, but the original stars of the franchise Keanu Reeves and Carrie Ann-Moss will be returning. Based on her work in Iron Fist, Henwick should fit right into a franchise known for its impressive fight choreography.
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Source: THR
