Page 66 - Star Wars Insider #194

INTERVIEW: GINA CARANO

ormer mixed That must have been the defi nition 01
F martial artist of a goosebumps moment? “I was
Gina Carano
I’ve had a couple of moments in
my career where I’ve been blessed
exudes the
enthusiasm of enough to have that feeling that wondering
someone who this could be a game changer, you who I was
is grateful to be welcomed into know? And that was defi nitely
a world that is likely to change one of those moments. I think my going to be,
her life. For Carano, playing Cara adrenaline shot through the roof. thinking, ‘Are
Dune in The Mandalorian marks He probably kept on talking and
her transition from struggling trying to explain stuff, but my mind they going
actor to emerging star, and she had switched to autopilot. (Laughs)
can’t wait for fans to discover the to put me on
secrets she’s been keeping about How much did Jon Favreau reveal some stilts
the live-action Star Wars TV show. to you in that meeting?
and make me
Jon showed me all the concept
Star Wars Insider: What was it art, and then he brought over
like spending many months this concept of a female character the female
workin in complete secrecy on in armor, and asked me what I Chewbacca?’”
The Mandalorian? thought of it. I said, “That’s badass.
Gina Carano: It was really That’s really cool.” Then he told
fascinating, the secrecy part of me, “That’s your character.” It did
it. It’s a good reminder of how look like me, but I hadn’t wanted to
important Star Wars is to so many. make any assumptions. Plus, I don’t

It’s such a powerful thing. To be think I was firing on all cylinders
a part of it all just gives me chills. at that point. Jon told me that they
hadn’t interviewed anybody else
How did the role first come to for it, and that I was the fi rst actor

you? Was it a standard audition? they’d met with.
I’ve been working in the indie fi lm
world for a while now, and it can That revelation must have been
be tough out there as an artist. overwhelming, considering that
My agent at the time called me, in a Star Wars project, you could
and he said to me, “Hey, a phone be playing anything?
call just came in from a casting Yes! I was wondering who I was
agent, and they said Jon Favreau going to be, thinking, “Are they
wants to meet you.” And I was like, going to put me on some stilts and
“Did I hear that right?” I’ve been make me the female Chewbacca?”
a fan of his since I was a little girl, (Laughs). I thought they were just
after watching Swingers (1996), going to cover me with a mask,
to the point of telling myself as a which, by the way, I totally would
teenager, “I’m going to meet that have done as well. But then here
man one day.” For me, this was a I am. I can see my character. She
big deal. So, I asked my agent, “Do doesn’t have a mask on. She’s
you know what it’s about?” And he herself, but she is wearing this
had no clue. He didn’t know! cool armor.
So, when I met Jon, he asked me,
“You know why you’re here?” I said, Once you were onboard, what did
“No. It’s just such an honor to meet you do to prepare for the part?
you.” That’s when he told me, “Well, I feel like I had so much catching
you’re here for a Star Wars project.” up to do. When you become
involved in Star Wars, you form
a different relationship with Star
“Star Wars is Wars, so you go back and you pay
such a powerful attention. And, I tell you, watching
the original movies again from the
thing. It stands beginning to the end, I was like,
“Oh my God, this is why people are
on its own.” obsessed!” I hadn’t paid attention

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