WWE fans know Mercedes Varnado as Sasha Banks, and now Star Wars fans know the celebrity as an actress in The Mandalorian. We love to see the range!
It was rumored earlier this year that Varnado would be joining the cast of the Disney Plus series for its second season, however who she would be playing had been kept under wraps. In the months following, fans had been speculating who the wrestling star could be portraying in the galaxy far, far away, with some wondering if she could be a Jedi or even a live-action version of Sabine Wren from Star Wars Rebels.
It’s been rumored for some time that Rosario Dawson would be playing the highly-anticipated live-action Ahsoka Tano (The Clone Wars), so what about Mercedes Varnado?
Who does Sasha Banks play in The Mandalorian?
Well, episode 3 of season 2, a.k.a. chapter 11 of the series, has answered that question. Varnado appears alongside Bo-Katan Kryze (played by Katee Sackhoff) as a character named Koska Reeves.
Who is Kosha Reeves?
Unlike Bo-Katan, Kosha Reeves has not appeared in any other Star Wars shows before, nor has she appeared in any films.
In the latest episode of The Mandalorian, titled “The Heiress,” we know from her introduction that Kosha Reeves is a fellow Mandalorian (one who takes her helmet off), and she seems more or less simply part of Bo-Katan’s crew. The two are also accompanied by a character named Axe Woves (played by Simon Kassianides), a third Mandalorian who also hasn’t appeared in the Star Wars universe previously.
Kosha Reeves is part of the Nite Owls, a group of female Mandalorians led by Bo-Katan. The Nite Owls made their first appearance during The Clone Wars season 4.
Mercedes Varnado has a few more Mandalorian credits on her IMDb page, so expect to see more of her in the coming weeks. Additionally, this week’s episode teased the introduction of Ahsoka Tano, so definitely be on the lookout for her soon!