50 Roles for 50 Actors: Dream casting the Star Wars saga

Dream casting the Star Wars saga: Tilda Swinton as Mon Mothma

Mon Mothma (really, where did Lucas come up with these names?) is a high-ranking official in the Rebel Alliance. She is to Return of the Jedi what Jan Dodonna was to Star Wars: the person who explains to a group of pilots how to destroy the Death Star. Okay, she doesn’t so much explain how to destroy it as she does that it can be destroyed, but same difference.

In Return of the Jedi, the part was played by actress Caroline Blakiston, who said her lines slowly, pausing frequently for dramatic effect. Her voice is quiet, rich, and solemn. The actress who replaces Blakiston should have an almost ethereal air about her if she wants to sell this scene.

That actress should almost certainly be Tilda Swinton, who’s made a career out of playing characters who are at a slight remove from the audience (check her out in Constantine, Michael Clayton, and Only Lovers Left Alive to see her apply her very specific kind of screen presence). In the right role, Swinton projects power, but there’s also a softness to her that stands out. Combined with her distinctive facial features, she’ll be able to make the most out of this small role.

Next: Prawn in charge