One of the most famous and beloved characters from the Star Wars Expanded Universe, Mara Jade, may one day make it to a live-action film or show, and she’ll need the right actor to portray her. Before Disney purchased Lucasfilm in 2012, the majority of new Star Wars stories were part of the Expanded Universe, which is now considered Legends. Though the stories and characters created in Legends are no longer canon, the franchise has slowly been reintroducing some concepts to canon – particularly in Star Wars shows like The Acolyte – and Mara Jade could one day get the same treatment.
Casting Mara Jade for her potential return to Star Wars canon is much easier said than done. Any actor can wear a red wig and carry a purple lightsaber, but very few can embody the Emperor’s Hand. The right person to play Mara Jade has to be able to embody her calm and cool demeanor, both her ruthlessness while working for the Empire and her kindness and compassion while married to Luke Skywalker, and her incredible fighting skills. Finding an actor with that combination of acting abilities will be the most important factor in deciding who should play her in live-action.
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Kristen Stewart
Known For: Twilight, Love Lies Bleeding
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Kristen Stewart may be best known for her time playing Bella Swan in the Twilight franchise, but her career since then has more than prepared her to play Mara Jade. Stewart has starred in a number of films that gave her a chance to exercise her acting talents. Movies like Snow White and the Huntsman and American Ultra have proven Stewart is more than capable of doing the action sequences and stunts Mara Jade would need to perform. She’s also more than capable of nailing the more dramatic parts of Mara Jade’s story, like her transition from the Empire to the New Jedi Order.
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Kristen Stewart is also a great choice to play Mara Jade because of her age. Depending upon how Star Wars introduces her to canon, Mara Jade could first appear at any point between the Battle of Jakku in 5 ABY and the destruction of his Jedi temple on Ossus in 28 ABY. That also means that she could be as young as 22 or as old as 50. Stewart is 34 years old, which would make her the perfect age to play Mara Jade during the New Republic era of the Star Wars timeline, which the franchise is already heavily focusing on through shows like The Mandalorian and Ahsoka.
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Ana de Armas
Known For: Knives Out, Blade Runner 2049
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Ana de Armas would also be a great pick to play Mara Jade. Since Star Wars has relied more heavily on well-known actors in recent years and de Armas is already a movie star thanks to films like Knives Out and Blade Runner 2049, she could be the perfect way to draw in viewers. She also has experience with both actioners and romance-heavy characters, which would set her up perfectly for Mara Jade’s story.
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There are also plenty of actors who would be capable of performing all the stunts and fights expected of Mara Jade, but there aren’t nearly as many who already have Ana de Armas’ experience. She recently added “spy” to her collection of hats with the James Bond movie No Time to Die, and her upcoming John Wick spinoff Ballerina should prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that de Armas is a modern-day action queen. Mara Jade needs to be played by someone who can both effortlessly take out a room full of bad guys and effortlessly romance Luke Skywalker, and Ana de Armas could do both in style.
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Zendaya
Known For: Spider-Man: Homecoming, Dune
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One of the reasons Mara Jade has captured fans’ imaginations for over a decade since her final appearance is because of how good her character development was. At various points in her story, Mara Jade was a villain, a romantic interest, a complex hero, and a tragic figure. Whatever actor would portray her in live-action would need to capture all of those sides, and Zendaya is unusually well-equipped to do so. She played a villain in Challengers, a love interest in Tom Holland’s Spider-Man movies, and a complex hero in the Dune films. Zendaya’s resume essentially speaks for itself.
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One of Zendaya’s recent roles in particular serves as a great proof of concept of how well she would play Mara Jade. In Challengers, Zendaya’s character, Tashi Donaldson, was a master manipulator who wrapped two different men around her finger. That already sounds extremely similar to Mara Jade’s secretive and clandestine duties as the Emperor’s Hand, which means Zendaya already has experience depicting a huge part of Jade Skywalker’s character. If Star Wars were to cast Zendaya as Mara Jade, she would hit the ground running with just a bit of character study.
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Karen Gillan
Known For: Guardians of the Galaxy, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle
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Even though looks aren’t the most important piece of casting Mara Jade correctly, Karen Gillan already has them down. It’s almost as if some of the official art of Jade Skywalker was made with Gillan as a reference point, which would make it quite easy for her to slip into the role. Her experience with both science fiction and action in franchises like Guardians of the Galaxy and Jumanji also makes it very easy to imagine Gillan picking up a lightsaber and blaster. If Star Wars needed to adapt Heir to the Empire tomorrow, Gillan would be the perfect pick.
If Star Wars needed to adapt Heir to the Empire tomorrow, Gillan would be the perfect pick.
Aside from essentially already being ready to play Mara Jade, Karen Gillan would be great for the role for a variety of other reasons. The sheer number of characters she’s played from all sides of the moral spectrum prove Gillan would be exceptional at showing the duality of Jade Skywalker. Gillan could essentially play Mara Jade at any stage of her life, from being a devout follower of Palpatine to being a commander in the Yuuzhan Vong war. If Star Wars wants Mara Jade’s actor in it for the long haul, Karen Gillan is more than capable of doing it.
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Emma Corrin
Known For: Deadpool & Wolverine, The Crown
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Emma Corrin had a very successful year in 2024, but that’s not the most important reason why she’d be a great Mara Jade. Corrin is coming off two roles – in Deadpool & Wolverine and Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu – that gained her widespread critical acclaim. She wasn’t the lead actor in either of those films, but that highlights why Corrin would be such a great Mara Jade: she’s exceptional at elevating other actors. Corrin has an uncanny ability to give a scene exactly what it needs to thrive, which sets up her co-stars to give even better performances than they would otherwise be capable of.
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So much of Mara Jade as a character was meant to enhance Luke Skywalker’s story, and Emma Corrin would be perfect to fill that role in live-action. With Corrin in the role, Jade Skywalker would be the perfect foil to a younger Luke Skywalker and the perfect complement to him in his later years. That’s also not to say that Corrin isn’t capable of being an engrossing lead actor: her work in The Crown is proof that she is. Mara Jade also had more than her fair share of moments of being the main character, and Corrin would be just as competent in those instances.
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Frances Turner
Known For: Fallout, The Man In The High Castle
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If Star Wars decides to bring Mara Jade and Luke Skywalker’s children into canon as well, Frances Turner may be the perfect choice for a slightly older version of the character. One of the many benefits of bringing Mara Jade back into canon is that Star Wars could also bring Ben Skywalker back. If Star Wars wants to show Luke training his own son at the temple on Ossus, then Turner would be a perfect pick for a more loving and caring version of Mara Jade.
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Frances Turner also has more than enough acting experience to show all the complexities of Mara Jade after she gave birth to Ben. Her recent work in Fallout proves she’s more than capable of playing a loving mother who’s capable of being truly ruthless, just like Mara Jade. Turner has also proven herself extremely competent at taking absurd situations – like the ones The Boys and Fallout center around – and playing them entirely seriously. Anyone who plays Mara Jade will have to balance swooping romance and espionage with the silliness inherent to Star Wars, and Frances Turner is a master of finding that balance.
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Claudia Doumit
Known For: The Boys, Dylan & Zoey
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While Mara Jade was incredibly skilled with both a lightsaber and the Force, she was a fearsome character for quite a few other reasons as well. Jade Skywalker was a cunning, intelligent, and almost unstoppable secret agent in her youth, even though she was a mostly merciful person underneath it all. Claudia Doumit, who played Victoria Neumann in The Boys, would be absolutely perfect to show why Mara Jade was such a feared operative of the Empire.
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Mara Jade’s early days as the Emperor’s Hand are important, but she spent a significantly longer amount of time as a Jedi Master and the wife of Luke Skywalker. Luckily, Doumit is just as well versed in playing that type of character as she is playing villains. Doumit is also known for playing complex characters in dramas like Dylan & Zoey, which has allowed her many chances to show off the same skills she would need to play a character as intricate as Mara Jade.
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Zoe Saldaña
Known For: Guardians of the Galaxy, Lioness
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There’s probably no other actor who’s as well versed in science fiction franchises as Zoe Saldaña, which means she’d be able to seamlessly step into Mara Jade’s boots. Saldaña has been a sci-fi star for decades now, and she’s had major roles in franchises like Star Trek, Guardians of the Galaxy, Avatar, and even Pirates of the Caribbean. She wouldn’t even blink an eye at acting opposite an Ithorian or interacting with a holoprojector. Saldaña is a natural in the world of hyperspace and blasters, which would let her hit the ground running as Mara Jade.
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Saldaña’s work outside the science fiction genre has also given her a massive advantage over other candidates to play Mara Jade. Her role as Joe in Lioness is probably the best proof of how well she could play the Emperor’s Hand and a Master Jedi. That show also highlighted Saldaña’s intensity: something that will be absolutely crucial for an accurate depiction of Mara Jade. Audiences will have to believe Mara Jade was once a nearly rabid follower of Emperor Palpatine before she fell in love with Luke Skywalker, and Zoe Saldaña can handle both extremes with ease.
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Dichen Lachman
Known For: Altered Carbon, Severance
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There are plenty of science fiction and action stars who could play Mara Jade Skywalker, and Dichen Lachman may be one of the most underappreciated among them. Star Wars has a long history of finding little-known actors to star in its main stories: the entire cast of the original trilogy was basically unknown at the onset of the films, and actors like Hayden Christensen and Daisy Ridley got their big breaks from the franchise. While Star Wars has favored prominent actors – like Pedro Pascal, Amandla Stenberg, and Jude Law – in recent years, Dichen Lachman would be a great pick for a lesser-known actor to play Mara Jade.
Dichen Lachman could absolutely embody the spirit of Mara Jade, if given the chance.
Lachman also has the resume to prove it, despite not being a superstar in her own right. Lachman has starred in sci-fi shows like Altered Carbon and movies Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, and she’d be right at home in Star Wars. She also has plenty of experience with action scenes and swords in particular, which means she’d be more than capable of portraying Mara Jade’s abilities with a lightsaber. Dichen Lachman could absolutely embody the spirit of Mara Jade, if given the chance.
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Sophie Turner
Known For: Game of Thrones, Dark Phoenix
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There’s probably no working actor in Hollywood who already looks as much like Mara Jade as Sophie Turner does. From her early days as Sansa Stark on Game of Thrones to her more recent role as Jean Grey in the X-Men films, Turner has plenty of experience with high fantasy and science fiction alike. Additionally, Turner was cast as Lara Croft in Prime Video’s Tomb Raider series, which should give her more than enough experience with stunts and action sequences to trade her double pistols in for a lightsaber.
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Sophie Turner’s looks aren’t the only reason she’s one of the best options for a faithful adaptation of Mara Jade’s story in Heir to the Empire. One of the biggest reasons Mara Jade is such a powerful Jedi is because of her incredible power in the Force, and Sophie Turner already has experience acting as if she has telekinetic powers from her days as Jean Grey. If anyone is capable of adding suspense and tension to a scene where they are, essentially, just holding out their arms, it’s Sophie Turner. If anyone does get a chance to play Mara Jade, Sophie Turner is among the best options.
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Mara Jade
Hailing from the Legends continuity, Mara Jade’s Force-sensitivity caught the eye of Emperor Palpatine himself. She became one of the Emperor’s Hands, a skilled assassin and spy who served his will. Mara failed in her last mission for the Emperor, to kill Luke Skywalker, and sank into the depths of the underworld for a time. She eventually became an ally of Luke, and the two fell in love, with Mara joining Luke’s Jedi Order. Mara was eventually killed by Jacen Solo, serving as his sacrifice as he committed himself to the way of the Sith.
Created By
Timothy Zahn
Cast
Shannon McRandle
First Appearance
Star Wars: Heir to the Empire
Died
Sacrifice
Alias
Emperor’s Hand, Countess Claria, Lianna, Litassa Colay, Arica Pradeux, Agent Green, Chiara Lorn, Karrinna Janish, Baroness Paltonae, Merellis, Celina Marniss, Senni Kiffu, Baroness Muehling
Alliance
Empire, Jedi
Race
Human
Franchise
Star Wars
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Source: https://dinhtienhoang.edu.vn
Category: Entertainment