Summary
- Natasha Liu Bordizzo brings Sabine Wren to life in Ahsoka, perfectly matching the character’s physical appearance and essence from Star Wars Rebels.
- Bordizzo’s role as Sabine reveals the character’s transformation into a Mandalorian Jedi with the ability to access the Force, hinting at an exciting future in Ahsoka Season 2.
- With Sabine’s story set to continue alongside Ahsoka in the Mandalorian era, fans can expect thrilling adventures against the likes of Grand Admiral Thrawn in upcoming installments.
Ahsoka introduced viewers to the live-action Sabine Wren, and here’s all you need to know about the actress playing her. Sabine Wren was first introduced in Star Wars Rebels as a member of the show’s titular Rebel crew. Sabine worked alongside the Jedi pair of Kanan Jarrus and Ezra Bridger, the Lasat solider Garazeb “Zeb” Orelios, Rebel Alliance pilot Hera Syndulla, and their trusty droid companion C1-10P/Chopper. Ahsoka essentially served as Star Wars Rebels season 5, meaning many of these characters would make the jump from animation to live-action.
Just as Ahsoka Tano did before them, the Star Wars Rebels crew were confirmed to appear in live-action Star Wars in Ahsoka. From the villainous Grand Admiral Thrawn to Hera Syndulla and Sabine Wren, Ahsoka would continue the story of Rebels that began in animation. When concerning Star Wars’ Mandalorian Sabine Wren in Ahsoka, many were left wondering who would bring the character to life considering her evidently huge role in the Star Wars show.
Natasha Liu Bordizzo Plays Sabine Wren In Ahsoka
Sabine Wren
A Mandalorian rebel, Sabine is a technological genius whose ideas were turned against her own people by the Empire. She served as an important member of the Lothal cell for years, only to return to her own people for a time with the knowledge and skills she had cultivated. More recently, Sabine has unlocked her nascent ability to access the Force, becoming Ahsoka Tano’s Padawan.
- Cast
- Natasha Liu Bordizzo , Tiya Sircar
- Race
- Mandalorian
Natasha Liu Bordizzo plays Sabine Wren in Ahsoka – and beyond. The casting was officially confirmed in In November 2021, delighting viewers because the actress is a perfect physical match for Sabine. Ahsoka was Bordizzo’s first venture into the Star Wars franchise, playing the Mandalorian warrior who becomes an unexpected Jedi Padawan to Ahsoka Tano.
Bordizzo was primarily picked for the role of Sabine due to the actress’s uncanny resemblance to the animated model for the character seen in Star Wars Rebels alongside her prior acting credits. Bordizzo will replace Tiya Sircar. Sircar provided the voice performance for Sabine in Star Wars Rebels, yet her physical appearance did not match the character like Bordizzo’s, hence the recast for Ahsoka.
Where You’ve Seen Natasha Liu Bordizzo Before Ahsoka
Natasha Liu Bordizzo has had several breakout roles in recent years leading up to Ahsoka‘s release. Some earlier performances for Bordizzo came in projects like Netflix’s Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny and The Greatest Showman. Bordizzo was then cast in other Netflix projects like Day Shift and The Society, the latter of which she portrayed a main role.
Bordizzo has also provided some voice-acting work in recent years. Sony’s animated film Wish Dragon featured Bordizzo as part of the voice cast. That said, Ahsoka is surely the true breakout role for Natasha Liu Bordizzo, whho has become a major figure in Dave Filoni’s plans for The Mandaloriani era.
Sabine’s Star Wars Future: Ahsoka Season 2 & Beyond
Ahsoka season 1 surprised viewers by transforming Sabine into a Mandalorian Jedi, something only ever hinted at in Star Wars Rebels – and with hints so subtle they could only be seen with hindsight. She spent most of Ahsoka unable to access the Force, much to the disdain of Ivanna Sakhno’s Shin Hati, who became a fierce rival for Sabine (and a popular ship in the fandom, which Ahsoka showrunner Dave Filoni may have been surprised by, but Sakhno and Bordizzo approved of). All that changed at the end of Ahsoka, when Sabine tapped into the Force at last.
Ahsoka season 1’s ending saw Ahsoka and Sabine stranded on the distant planet Peridea, in a far-away galaxy. Their story is expected to continue in Ahsoka season 2, which has been confirmed by Lucasfilm but has yet to be announced. The future is even more exciting for Sabine going forward, though, because all this is expected to tie into Filoni’s plans for the entire Mandalorian era – including a movie positioned as the canon version of classic Legends story “Heir to the Empire.” This is expected to see the various heroes unite against Lars Mikkelsen’s Grand Admiral Thrawn.
Until then, viewers will have to wait for news of Sabine Wren. Bordizzo’s love for the character – and, indeed, for the whole franchise – is clear; she may have been unable to promote Ahsoka due to the strikes, but she’s more than made up for lost time since. Hopefully it won’t be long before Lucasfilm announce their plans for Ahsoka season 2.
