Diverse New Star Wars to Feature Female Storm Trooper

The anonymous storm troopers from the Star Wars franchise, fitted in white clad armor, are known for being homogenous.

However, there may be some diversity in the ranks in the form of a female in J.J. Abrams’ upcoming Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

English actress Amybeth Hargreaves has reportedly joined the cast of the film as the empire’s first female stormtrooper, according to a statement made on Twitter from BBC entertainment journalist Lizo Mzimba:

Bit of @StarWars news from @SpotlightUK. Amybeth Hargreaves plays female Stormtrooper in The Force Awakens. http://t.co/2nDnhfSaTM

— lizo mzimba (@lizo_mzimba) January 16, 2015

As reported by The Mirror, Hargreaves’ CV on Spotlight listed her as a stormtooper in the film. That information has since been removed.

In a another tweet, Mzimba speculated that Hargreaves may just be a double for previously announced cast member Gwendoline Christie of HBO’s Game of Thrones, who has been linked to Abrams’ Star Wars film, but the only detail of her role was that she was rumored to play an important soldier.

Wonder if Stormtrooper in own right, or perhaps a filming double if, as rumoured, @loveGwendoline plays a stormtrooper in Ep VII.

— lizo mzimba (@lizo_mzimba) January 16, 2015

It was also announced in December that black actor John Boyega is set to play the role of a stormtrooper named Finn.

Hardcore Star Wars fans criticized the casting choice of Boyega, saying that it didn’t fit the empire, to which he replied, “To whom it may concern… Get used to it.”

Either way, Abrams’ new empire is likely to be an inclusive and diverse one.