Disney Turns To The Internet To Cast Star Wars Leads

For a film still shrouded in secrecy, Disney has made the casting process for Star Wars: Episode VII a very public event. Despite rumor after rumor of established actors and actresses vying for the perceived male and female leads, in-person casting calls have gone out in major cities nationwide for possible unknown actors to audition. Now, that call has expanded further, to the online realm, creating a potential pool of applicants for the studio on a scale not seen before. Do you think you have what it takes to be apart of a galaxy far, far away? Hit the jump to learn how to submit your audition tape.

Based off pretty consistent scoops and speculation over the past several months, the roles of “Rachel’ and “Thomas” are believed to be for the two leads for the film, and the call sheet on http://www.opencastingcall2013.com/ confirms as much. What is also assumed is that the character names, provided audition script, and even the character descriptions, likely have nothing to do with the production. Disney isn’t about to release pivotal details to the public this early in the game. Casting director Maryellen Aviano and producers are likely just casting a wide net and seeing if any potential actors standout from the rest. If you are interested in submitting an online audition tape for either of the roles, follow the instructions at the above link. There, you can also view a list of the in-person casting call locations taking place throughout November. Below are the provided character descriptions:

Seeking: Young woman to play 17-18 Years old. Must be beautiful, smart and athletic. Open to all ethnicities (including bi- and multi-racial).

RACHEL:

Was quite young when she lost her parents. With no other family, she was forced to maker her way alone in a tough, dangerous town. Now 17 she has become street smart and strong. She is able to take care of herself using humor and guts to get by.

Always a survivor, never a victim, she remains hopeful that she can move away from this harsh existence to a better life. She is always thinking of what she can do to move ahead.

Seeking: Young man to play 19-23 years old. Must be handsome, smart and athletic. Must be over 18.

THOMAS:

Has grown up without a father’s influence. Without the model of being a man, he doesn’t have the strongest sense of himself. Despite this, he is smart, capable and shows courage when it is needed. He can appreciate the absurdities in life and understands you can’t take life too seriously.

While the roles of “Rachel” and “Thomas” may very well go to known actors before all is said and done, the decision to make the Star Wars: Episode VII casting public is a noteworthy one. I cannot think of another film of this scale (You can argue there is no franchise bigger than Star Wars, period.) that has used the internet to solicit audition tapes. If nothing else, Disney might release the number of applicants they had for the roles when they formally announce who has been cast, and the astounding number would make for an interesting bit of trivia. But there remains at least a midi-chlorian’s chance that some aspiring actor, who would otherwise be unable to audition in person, could win the role of a lifetime thanks to the expanded search capabilities provided by the internet and today’s technology. That would be pretty cool.

Now that this news has spread online, I fully expect to see several audition tapes pop up on YouTube in the coming weeks from hopeful actors looking for the part. Let us know in the comments section below if you plan to be one of them.