Star Wars: Episode VIII: Bel Powley In Running For Sought After Role

The breakout star of The Diary of a Teenage Girl is rumored to be in the running for a sought after role in Star Wars: Episode VIII.

Jeff Sneider of Meet the Movie Press first reported the rumor that Bel Powley is now on the list of actresses in the running for a role in Episode VIII (via /Film). She may be joining Tatiana Maslany, Olivie Cooke, and Gina Rodriguez, who were all on a shortlist for the same character in the new movie.

23-year-old Powley is best known for her breakout role in The Diary Of A Teenage Girl, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2015. Her other credits include A Royal Night Out, and The Equals alongside Kristen Stewart. Ethan Anderton of /Film praised Powley for her charismatic on-screen presence, as well as her “mesmerizing eyes” (a good characteristic for an alien, perhaps?).

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In the same article, /Film reported Gugu Mbatha-Raw, whom Collider reported had landed a role in the film a few months ago, is out of the picture, per Justin Kroll from Variety. It’s not been confirmed whether the role she was in was the same one Maslany, Cooke, and Rodriguez were vying for, or a different slot entirely. Regardless, it would seem she’s no longer part of the Episode VIII conversation, while Bel Powley is now the center of attention.

We know very little about this sought-after role, but apparently whoever the character is has a connection to John Boyega’s Finn. One of the things being tested for in the ladies’ audition was their chemistry with the London actor. This new character could be a love interest, or just someone who happens to interact with Finn for a few scenes.

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Regardless of how big the role is, it’s good to see even more female characters being incorporated into the Episode VIII, which begins shooting later this month.