The Mandalorian reveals first details on Ming-Na Wen's character
“Your name will be legendary,” Ming-Na Wen says in her first appearance on The Mandalorian by way of a new TV spot. So might Wen’s character.
Disney and Lucasfilm revealed the first look and details on the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. star’s role in the live-action Star Wars series via Vanity Fair on Monday. Wen debuts as Fennec Shand, a stealth assassin who takes her character inspiration from a fennec fox. “She’s tricky, and yet she’s able to maneuver and survive, and be stealthy — so very graceful and agile,” the actress told VF. “I just love that whole image with the name.”
In the world of Star Wars, Fennec has made her living killing for the galaxy’s top crime syndicates. She’s more loyal to herself than others, but it remains to be seen whether this mercenary is inherently good or bad. As with many friends and foes in the galaxy far, far away, the gray area seems closest to where this one falls.
Wen’s role was first revealed during the D23 Expo festivities in August, though no other details were made available at the time.
Fennec is one of many shadowy figures encountered by Pedro Pascal’s masked Mandalorian bounty hunter in the series, which also includes filmmaker Werner Herzog as one of his mysterious clients, Gina Carano as former Rebel Shock Trooper Cara Dune, Nick Nolte as the voice of an Ugnaught alien named Kuiil, Thor: Ragnarok director (and director of an episode of The Mandalorian) Taika Waititi as the voice of an IG-11 droid, and Carl Weathers as Greef Carga, leader of a guild of bounty hunters.
Wen also notes how this role marks another step towards more Asian representation in the Star Wars universe on screen. “Any sort of representation is important and necessary,” she says. “And I’m just happy that I got chosen. It was meant to be.”
Jon Favreau heads The Mandalorian as showrunner, while Dave Filoni, of Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels fame, directs the first episode.
The Mandalorian will premiere on the Disney+ streaming platform when it launches Nov. 12.
Check out the first look above, and get full details on Wen’s character at Vanity Fair.
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