The arrival of Ahsoka to Disney Plus brings fans some of the first-ever live-action versions of characters previously seen in the animated Star Wars Rebels series.
While the main character Ahsoka Tano debuted as a live-action Jedi in The Mandalorian several years ago, some of her friends and allies debuted as live-action characters in Episode 1 of the new Star Wars series.
That included Sabine Wren, a curious character who is a hero but also a bit of a thrill-seeking wildcard regarding how she goes about things.
She became an important character early on, which has led those less versed in Star Wars to find out more details about who plays Sabine Wren.
Actress Natasha Liu Bordizzo portrays the live version of the character in Star Wars’ Ahsoka cast, which also includes Rosario Dawson in the leading role and Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Hera Syndulla.
Some viewers might recognize her from a few of her other roles in movies and films over the years.
Which actress plays Sabine Wren in Ahsoka?
Actress Natasha Liu Bordizzo brings Sabine Wren to life in the Star Wars live-action series Ahsoka. The 28-year-old Australian actress first appeared in the 2016 film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny.
A year later, she had a role in the critically acclaimed The Greatest Showman, which starred Hugh Jackman and won a Golden Globe and Grammy for its music. Bordizzo then appeared in 2018’s action-thriller Hotel Mumbai.
More recently, Bordizzo has appeared as a character in a few TV series, including The Society in 2019 and The Most Dangerous Game in 2020. She also played Heather in Netflix’s Day Shift, which starred Jamie Foxx.
She now stars in a series from one of the most popular franchises in the history of science fiction and fantasy. However, she initially didn’t realize that was the part she was going for.
“I sent in a tape. I didn’t know what I was auditioning for. I read scenes from a completely different film that had nothing to do with Star Wars. I wasn’t told it was for this. I just sort of saw the scenes, and just by chance, my friend and I were like, ‘This kind of feels like a young like Han Solo vibe. Maybe we should emulate that,'” Bordizzo told EW.
She said after sending in her auditions for the part, it was a quick offer for her to take on the role of Sabine.
Bordizzo’s preparation for the role included watching Star Wars Rebels seasons and learning additional martial arts training for fight scenes. Bordizzo already knew martial arts as she trained in Taekwondo and achieved her first degree Black Belt in 2009.
Who is Sabine Wren in Ahsoka?
This section may contain spoilers about Ahsoka’s Sabine Wren. The animated character debuted in Star Wars Rebels, with actress Tiya Sircar providing her voice. In the animated series and live-action Ahsoka, viewers learn she is a female Mandalorian warrior.
In the first episode of Ahsoka, viewers are introduced to Sabine as a rogue hero without much structure or guidance. That’s because she has seemingly parted ways with her mentor, Ahsoka.
With that, viewers later learn that Sabine had been training to become a Jedi under Ahsoka, who trained under Anakin Skywalker. However, it’s revealed that Ahsoka and Sabine chose to stop the training.
In Episode 1, Ahsoka is tasked with figuring out how to unlock a map and figure out where to find a serious threat to the galaxy, so it’s recommended she speak with Sabine again.
Upon revealing a critical piece of information to Sabine about a friend and ally, she has her apprentice agreeing to help with the investigation. However, she goes rogue, wanting to take on the mission herself.
Later in the first episode, viewers see Sabine use some of her previous Jedi training but fail in her abilities, suggesting she needs more training. Based on a preview clip from Disney Plus, it appears that training is on the way.
During a Rebel Crew featurette from Disney Plus, Bordizzo spoke about why she enjoyed portraying the character.
“I love Sabine. She struggles with her emotions. She’s impulsive. I think she’s just relatable. She’s got good intentions, but she doesn’t always make the right decision,” she said.
More comments arrived from Bordizzo and her co-star, Dawson, in the Disney Plus featurette, including commentary about the advanced technology used for special effects in the series.
Viewers will get to watch the unpredictable journey that Sabine goes on as Ahsoka episodes hit Disney Plus until October.
Ahsoka airs Tuesdays on Disney+.