'Star Wars Episode VII' Casting Not Done; Another Female Character Still Open

Today's bombshell news of the primary cast for J.J. Abrams' Star Wars Episode VII was met with one major and valid piece of criticism. Of all the new additions, only one woman – Daisy Ridley — was part of the cast. This was odd for a few reasons, the most obviously being huge gender imbalance but also because the original casting breakdowns had two female parts. It seems one last Star Wars female character has yet to be cast.  

The Hollywood Reporter reported the news of this late addition and the pieces fit. Ridley's demeanor, look and placement in the cast photo between Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher certainly suggest she's the daughter of the pair. That would leave open a long-discussed role, the granddaughter of Obi-Wan Kenobi, which was rumored to be written for a minority female. That's why actresses such as Maisie Richardson-Sellers and Oscar-winner Lupita Nyong'o were up for the film. Nyong'o, however, recently signed to do Jon Favreau's Jungle Book.

If you look at almost every other name rumored over the past year, someone who was actually cast fits their type. Michael Fassbender could've been Oscar Isaac. Hugo Weaving could be Andy Serkis. Michael B. Jordan could be John Boyega and Saoirse Ronan could be Daisy Ridley. But who could Richardson-Sellers or Nyong'o be? No one. There's still a role to be cast.

The size of the role is a big question though. While the THR says it's "substantial," Josh Dickey of Mashable says its minor, suggesting a bigger role in the later episodes. That would make sense considering the actress wasn't at Tuesday's table read.

The original casting breakdown, which fits eerily close to the people cast in the movie, had two female roles:

"Late-teen female, independent, good sense of humour, fit" and "A second young female, also late teens, tough, smart and fit."

There's no word on when this announcement might come or who will get it but, as C-3PO famously said, "Here we go again." The Star Wars Episode VII casting is far from over.