StarWars.com have sent out a press release revealing the identities of the two young actors who have been chosen from the 67,000 hopefuls who tried out for a coveted role in J.J. Abrams’ highly anticipated Star Wars Episode VII late last year. Casting calls went out both in the UK and US, and online.
They are American actress Crystal Clarke and British actor Pip Andersen, and while both have some notable projects either completed or in the pipeline, this movie should help launch their careers.
Of particular interest in this press release is the fact that they mention a two-week hiatus this August which is being take to accommodate adjustments to the current production schedule after Harrison Ford’s leg injury on the London set. They emphasise that the release date remains unchanged though.
Read the full thing below for further details and then be sure to let us know what you think of this latest Star Wars Episode VII production update in the comments section below!
At the end of last year Lucasfilm and Disney invited all young aspiring actors to attend an open casting call for roles in J.J Abrams’ Star Wars Episode VII. The casting calls spanned 11 cities across the US and UK and over 37,000 hopefuls attended, with a further 30,000 submitting applications online.
Having hunted high and low for young and undiscovered talent, the filmmakers are delighted to announce that two actors from the open call call have been cast.
Crystal Clarke is an American actress studying in Glasgow, UK, who has both stage and screen acting experience and is soon to be seen in her first feature, The Moon and the Sun (to be released in 2015). British actor Pip Andersen is a skilled practitioner of parkour, a discipline that involves propelling oneself through any given environment with incredible grace and agility. Pip recently demonstrated this remarkable skill in a Spider-Man ad for Sony.
“The Star Wars universe has always been about discovering and nurturing young talent and in casting Episode VII we wanted to remain absolutely faithful to this tradition. We are delighted that so many travelled to see us at the open casting calls and that we have been able to make Crystal and Pip a part of the film,” said producer and Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy.
Meanwhile, principal photography continues at Pinewood Studios in London after wrapping on location in Abu Dhabi in May.
In August, the team will take a brief two-week hiatus while adjustments to the current production schedule are made as actor Harrison Ford recovers from a leg injury. Harrison is doing well and is looking forward to returning to the set soon. Shooting remains on track to wrap in the fall with the film scheduled for release on December 18, 2015.
