Rosario Dawson, Ahsoka in The Mandalorian and Ahsoka, has spoken with Variety about how the late Shawna Trpcic’s deep dedication and knowledge of the universe brought the character to the screen.
“One of the things I loved about working with Shawna was her level of rigorous detail and research,” says Dawson. “From Easter eggs to nods to the animation and the film’s history, she would imbue it in her work.”
Ahsoka Tano was first created for the animated series “Star Wars: The Clone Wars.” Introduced and established in live-action form during Season 2 of “The Mandalorian,” the decision was made to keep her in the same gray colors for “Ahsoka,” so the audience would have that familiarity with the character, but to give her a new costume.
“You’re catching up with this character at a completely different stage in her life. She’s full Ronin [a wandering Jedi], a traveling warrior finding where she can do good, and the outfit really encapsulated that,” Dawson explains.
Trpcic sourced the weighted gray fabric from New York, and had it specifically designed and woven for the character. The weight of the fabric was intentional and would help Dawson move freely for the choreographed action sequences.
Dawson and Trpcic collaborated closely on the design, with the actor not only cherishing Trpcic’s knowledge but also with a willingness to hear ideas and be a true collaborator.
Dawson particularly loved how Ahsoka’s costume in the animated series “Star Wars: The Clone Wars” had panels revealing areas of skin on her legs or midriff, and wanted to see if there was a way to bring that into her look.
“I wanted to show more of her skin. You had to be creative about that because she had those head tails [on her headdress]. She’s older now, so it’s not removing the midriff. I remember we came up with the idea of having her back scalloped out,” says Dawson. By removing those panels, Dawson found it served a double purpose. “It was much more helpful to be able to move in.”
In her work, Trpcic always looked for ways to honor the aesthetic and give back to the fandom; Easter eggs was one way of doing that. Dawson also wanted to do the same. She asked for Ahsoka’s padawan beads (from when she was a trainee Jedi under Anakin Skywalker), and the two worked to build that detail using crystals on her belt. “I loved her having this piece of this relationship and a nod to Anakin in the ‘Clone Wars.’ Even if it doesn’t mean something to someone in the present day, it’s a detail for the fans, and they immediately notice and appreciate it.”
Ahsoka’s footware were toe shoes with fasteners on them. At one point, Trpcic had suggested a zipper, but Dawson enjoyed the care and meticulousness that went into putting them on. The ones she wore were also a nod to the samurai warrior.
Read the interview in full here, and stream Ahsoka on Disney+ now.
