“Star Wars Episode VII” has added an Academy Award winner and a “Game of Thrones” favorite to its roster.
Lupita Nyong'o and Gwendoline Christie have joined Harrison Ford, Adam Driver, Carrie Fisher, Oscar Isaac and the rest of the cast for the J.J. Abrams-directed sequel. The news was announced via the Star Wars Facebook page and website.
Nyong'o took home an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in “12 Years A Slave” earlier this year. It was her first feature film role.
English actress Christie plays Brienne of Tarth in “Game of Thrones” and is already slated to perform in another high-profile franchise: as Commander Lyme in “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 2” out in 2015.
John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, Max von Sydow, Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew and Kenny Baker help to round out the known cast of “Episode VII.” Nyong'o and Christie's roles have not been specified yet, though they help fill out a marquee that initially lacked as many new female roles as it had new male roles when the first round was announced in late April.
Abrams and Lawrence Kasdan wrote the screenplay, with Kathleen Kennedy, Abrams and Bryan Burk producing. John Williams returns as the composer to the score.
“Star Wars Episode VII” will be in theaters on Dec. 18, 2015.