‘Lord of the Rings’ actor joins Star Wars Episode IX cast
By Meg Dowell
An actor familiar with the sci-fi/fantasy world is officially joining the Star Wars: Episode IX cast under the direction of J.J. Abrams.
Star Wars: Episode IX began filming at the beginning of August. Since then, it seems we’re learning something new about who will join the cast — and who they will and won’t be portraying.
With so many rumors surfacing about the movie, its cast, characters, and more, it’s refreshing when confirmed news hits the Star Wars web.
It’s been officially announced that a familiar face will appear in the third installment of the sequel trilogy, set to release just before Christmas 2019.
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Dominic Monaghan, played Merry, one of Frodo’s hobbit companions, in the Lord of the Rings franchise directed by Peter Jackson, will join the Star Wars: Episode IX cast, according to Deadline. He won’t be playing a hobbit in this universe. But it’s not the first time he’ll venture into a faraway land.
This also isn’t the first time he will work with Abrams. The Episode IX director produced the ABC series Lost where Monaghan played Charlie.
It’s actually not surprising the actor landed a role in such a widely recognized franchise. According to the Hollywood Reporter, he expressed interest in working with Abrams again when he began directing The Force Awakens.
He responded to the announcement with gratitude, saying: “The galaxy far far away has had almost as much influence as the one I live in, so I am delighted to be involved.”
Monaghan is just one of many actors currently filming Episode IX. Other cast members include Daisy Ridley, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong’o, Kelly Marie Tran, Adam Driver, John Boyega, Anthony Daniels, and Mark Hamill.
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We don’t know which role the actor will portray in the final installment of the Skywalker saga. But we’re sure to learn more as the film’s release date draws closer.
Which character do you think Monaghan will play? Someone new — or someone we’ve possibly heard of before?