What's next for the cast of "Star Wars"?
Friday, December 27, 2019 at 5:00PM 
For actors, franchises can be a gift and a curse simultaneously. Money is a plus, certainly, and so is the newfound fame and recognizability. However, such treasures often come at the cost of artistic risks and availability to do anything other than the series they're then chained to. Long preproduction, long shoots and even longer reshoots fill the calendar and then there are endless promotional tours. In the end, the victims of the franchises are the performers' fans.
With the "end" of the Skywalker saga, it's a good time to ponder what comes next for the stars of the third Star Wars trilogy. Will these actors be able to ride the wave of popularity into exciting careers or will they forever be tied to these Disney-owned characters? We'll see…
DAISY RIDLEY
Even when the movies floundered away the potential of Rey, Daisy Ridley's performance was exceptional. While the upcoming releases of the ever-troubled Chaos Walking and the new Peter Rabbit movie might not inspire much confidence, there's a Marielle Heller penned drama in her future. With Heller's current filmography as precedent, we can expect great things from Kolma.
ADAM DRIVER
Driver is the current Star Wars actor that's managed to best balance the demands of the intergalactic franchise and his own creative pursuits. Just this year, he delivered three fine performances outside of that galaxy far far away and he's on his way to another Oscar nomination, maybe even a win. Up next is a Leos Carax's musical so we can safely say his future is rosy.
JOHN BOYEGA
Finn's character arc was utterly botched by the new trilogy. One hopes John Boyega can bounce back from this and use his fame to get himself into interesting projects. His participation in Kathryn Bigelow's Detroit and the sequel to Pacific Rim don't set a hopeful precedent, but Chase Palmer's Naked Singularity might do the trick. We can hope.
OSCAR ISAAC
Of this roster of Star Wars actors, Isaac is the one whose career was most noticeably obscured by the franchise. From 2011 to 2015, he became one of American cinema's most promising actors, giving a slew of Oscar-worthy performances along the way. Still, when Poe Dameron came around everything took a turn for the worst. Give or take Annihilation, his artsier pursuits were vaguely disastrous and his few attempts at blockbuster movies outside Star Wars were catastrophic (remember X-Men: Apocalypse?). With Denis Villeneuve's Dune and the new Paul Schrader film in his future, we hope things will soon improve.
KELLY MARIE TRAN
Apart from Chase Palmer's upcoming Naked Singularity (with John Boyega!), Tran's future doesn't seem particularly promising. With luck, the tides will change. She certainly has the charisma to warrant it and there has to be some karmic reward after the sidelining of her character in The Rise of Skywalker.
Which of these actors’ upcoming projects are you most excited for?
Reader Comments (12)
I think Driver's the only one to have a lasting career,I hope Ridley doesn't go the way of Keira Knightley,Boyega needs a comedy as that's where I find he's excels esp in interviews,Isaac certainly sqaundered his gr8 run and the role is a real nothing.
Oscar Isaac should have been a major star by now!
Oscar Isaac is also starring in Chekhov's “Three Sisters” alongside Greta Gerwig on the NYC stage!
Oscar Isaac is too talented to fade away. He may never quite hit superstar, Al Pacino or Harrison Ford-level stardom, but, at the very least, he'll be the Richard Gere of the 2020s. Kelly Marie Tran could have a long distinguished career as a working actor if she doesn't just tire of the bullshit too soon and walk away.
I'm sure Ridley would be thrilled to be still headlining films a decade after her franchise participation ended and with two Academy Award nominations to boot.
I meant recent Knightley.
Boyega has zero star power
Both Ridley and Driver’s projects have been in development for a long time.
In Driver’s case, the plus is that he now gets to co-star with the magnificent Marion Cotillard! Can’t wait!
Ridley has got a great director, Marielle Heller. I was slow coming to the love Heller camp, but I’m firmly there now. Only please god have the male actors cast be somebody good, who actually listen to their co-stars.
Isaac and Boyega have had their lustre dimmed a bit, but Isaac has the range and skill to do interesting projects. The Chekhov with Gerwig sounds great! I would love to see it.
Boyega might also have the UK film and theatre environment to work in, and explore a variety of projects.
And I want Kelly Marie Tran cast in everything. Big juicy fabulous parts.
I predict Driver will go on to have a solid career, but he has probably harmed his reputation - rightly or wrongly - with that recent 'pretentious' business.
Isaac is one of the best actors of his generation, and I hope he gets back on track sometime very soon.
Boyega was pretty good in Detroit, and it was actually the project to signal to me that he had some real acting chops. I think he may have great success on TV.
Ridley herself said recently on the Graham Norton show that she is struggling to find parts, although I quite enjoyed her turn in this most recent Star Wars outing.
Recent KK movies include a great performance in "Official Secrets", also "Colette" and even though "The Nutcracker and the Four Realms" was terrible, her comic turn was a bright spot.
So... Daisy Ridley has impressed me in her Star Wars outings, and I hope she has as varied and successful career as her look alike.
Btw. Is there some sort of Star Wars law that leading women have to look the same, Natalie Portman, Keira Knightley, Daisy Ridley...? Almost a fetish.
I cannot see the appeal of John Boyega.
Did anyone remember that time Daisy Ridley sang with Barbra Streisand and Anne Hathaway? She has a bright future, I hope.
I think Isaac will take his bushels of Disney money and do things that interest him, whether they be stage or screen, and some of which will earn him wide acclaim. He won't be a Big Star, but I think he'll be continuously fascinating. .
Driver, however, seems like an unstoppable (pun unintended) force in Hollywood "serious acting" right now.