The upcoming Obi-Wan Kenobi TV series is finally in the process of casting, and the showrunners seem to be eyeing Aladdin star Naomi Scott for a lead role. Scott is an actress most well known for her performance in the 2019 live-action remake of Disney’s Aladdin. While the remake itself received mixed reviews, Scott shined in her performance as Princess Jasmine and became a very high-profile actress.
This is good news for the Obi-Wan Kenobi series, still trying to find its feet in the development process. This year, the series’ production was delayed indefinitely because Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy was not happy with the show’s scripts. A few months of work and a pandemic later, Lucasfilm has announced that they will begin production on the Obi-Wan Kenobi series this coming March 2021.
According to Illuminerdi, the Obi-Wan series is already well into the process of casting a co-lead to star alongside Ewan McGregor. According to casting descriptions, this character will be a female BIPOC named Riley, although that name could be a placeholder. Among those being considered for the role is Naomi Scott, who, in addition to Disney’s Aladdin, has also starred in Power Rangers and Charlie’s Angels. Scott is the highest-profile actress to be called back for the role, but the show has also called back the South African actress Thuso Mbedu and actress Anula Navlekar.
The production team of the Obi-Wan series is keeping the details of this new character under wraps, so there’s no telling what role Riley will play in the story. The show is also in the process of casting three supporting characters. These include a woman in her 30s named Tia, a man in his late 20s named Harold, and a woman in her 40s named Bella. Again, all of these character names are likely placeholders to prevent any spoilers from leaking to the general public.
There aren’t many clues about how Riley and the other characters fit into the story, but it could have something to do with the Mandalorians. The Mandalorian has become the most popular series on Disney+, and given this popularity, it would make sense for the Kenobi series to tie into the show in some way. And since Ewan McGregor visited The Mandalorian set for costume tests, this idea isn’t out of the question.
If this theory is correct, it would be exciting news for Naomi Scott or any other actress playing the character. “Riley” could very well end up being another Mandalorian for Obi-Wan to meet on his journey, or even have some connection to Obi-Wan’s romantic interest Duchess Satine. But no matter who this character is or who is playing her, her appearance in Obi-Wan Kenobi is sure to make an impact on Star Wars fans.
