Rosario Dawson describes Ahsoka’s filming process

This piece was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, the Star Wars content being covered here wouldn’t exist.

Rosario Dawson is providing more insight into the filming process of the upcoming Ahsoka series. Dawson has played Ahsoka since the character made her live-action debut in The Mandalorian season 2. She later reprised the role in an episode of The Book of Boba Fett. Both of these appearances were paving the way for the Ahsoka series.

During an interview with The Hollywood Reporter that was conducted prior to the July 13 SAG-AFTRA strike, Dawson described Ahsoka‘s filming process led by showrunner Dave Filoni. Read her comments below:

"“We filmed in tandem the whole time. It was a six-month shoot, and it probably would’ve been a year had we not had two different crews filming multiple different episodes at the same time. So it was a lot, and it was constantly being jumbled around, but Dave made pre-vises or pre-animations for the entirety of each episode. He brought that over from his animation work, but he wouldn’t let us really watch it. So I haven’t seen anything of Ahsoka either, but that’s not surprising. It’s a very weird project to be a part of, as it’s one of the biggest things, so they’re like, ‘See nothing, say nothing.’ But Dave had it down, and the different directors kept that connection.”"

Dawson’s comments emphasize how despite being a massive undertaking, the filming process for Ahsoka was a well-oiled machine. Two different crews filming multiple different episodes at the same time is impressive coordination. From a storytelling standpoint, it speaks to the show’s extensive scope in terms of locations and characters.

The series may be called Ahsoka, but there will also be plenty of focus on Sabine Wren, Hera Syndulla, Baylan Skoll, Shin Hati, along with other characters as well. The variety of locations have already been teased in the trailers.

As for Dawson’s remarks about Filoni, it’s clear how he is adapting his extensive experience in animation into the live-action medium. From Rian Johnson mentoring Filoni to Filoni’s work on The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett, he has gradually been getting more experience with live-action storytelling, all leading to Ahsoka. It is a fitting evolution considering that Ahsoka, Sabine, Hera, and Ezra Bridger debuted in the animation that Filoni brought to life before they made the jump to live-action.

Another aspect of the filming process that stands out in Dawson’s description is the lengths Lucasfilm and Filoni will go to maintain secrecy. Dawson is the star of the series, but even she hasn’t been able to see it. The secrecy may seem extreme, but it does pay off when genuine and satisfying surprises happen without being leaked, such as Luke Skywalker showing up to save the day in The Mandalorian season 2 finale.

Every tidbit revealed about Ahsoka makes the series even more exciting. The two-episode premiere of Ahsoka will be released on August 23, only on Disney+.