Bryce Dallas Howard is set to make her television directorial debut with Disney+'s The Mandalorian. However, while Howard is set to helm the fast-approaching Star Wars series' fourth episode, the Jurassic World star does not have plans to undertake an on-screen role.
During an interview with Adam Tanswell, Howard was asked if there was any chance of her making a cameo in The Mandalorian. "No," she replied. "No, I love to be behind the camera."
That said, while Howard doesn't seem inclined to don a Stormtrooper helmet or anything of the sort, working on a Star Wars project is something clearly very special and personal for her. "Here's the thing that's so wild... this wasn't [my] first time walking onto a Star Wars set," she shared. "One of my really good friends from summer camp is Natalie Portman. And I know it's about to be the twenty year anniversary of George's first movie -- Phantom Menace -- and I went and visited Natalie quite a bit on that set when we were like 16 years old.
"And also just kind of growing up around George [Lucas] and all of that," Howard continued. "You know what? It feels like my childhood. That's what it feels like. Going on a Star Wars set feels like my childhood. It's the most amazing experience."
Notably, Bryce Dallas Howard's father Ron Howard has worked closely with Star Wars creator George Lucas in the past, going back to when Ron starred in Lucas' 1973 film American Graffiti. In a previous interview, Howard also spoke to what it was like watching her father work with Lucas on the 1988 film Willow. Morver, Ron Howard directed Solo: A Star Wars Story - the space opera franchise's latest theatrical release.
Created by Jon Favreau, The Mandalorian stars Pedro Pascal, Gina Carano, Carl Weathers, Giancarlo Esposito, Emily Swallow, Omid Abtahi, Werner Herzog and Nick Nolte. The series debuts Nov. 12 on Disney+, the same date as the streaming service's official launch.