Though Keri Russell will be in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, the inspiration for her character means we likely won't be seeing much of her face.
Empire spoke with Russell about joining the Star Wars universe and what it was like working with J.J. Abrams. They also dug into her new character, Zorii Bliss, whose allegiances seem up in the air. As for her unique look, glimpsed in the trailers so far, its genesis is certainly intriguing.
"There was this female character when J.J. was young – I think it was in Speed Racer or something," said Russell. "She rode a motorbike and had this helmet. He goes, ‘I could never see her face and I was always obsessed with what she looked like.’ That was the genesis of this character, because he always wanted to know who she was."
The similarities certainly seem to be there, as Bliss wears an instantly recognizable helmet in the shots we've seen of her so far. Whether she'll ever remove it is yet to be seen.
Though anticipation is high for not only the end of the current trilogy but the finale of the Skywalker Saga, Lucasfilm may have cause to worry. Rise of Skywalker is projected to open to smaller numbers than its two predecessors.
Directed and co-written by J.J. Abrams, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker stars Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong’o, Domhnall Gleeson, Kelly Marie Tran, Joonas Suotamo, Billie Lourd, Keri Russell, Anthony Daniels, Mark Hamill, Billy Dee Williams and Carrie Fisher, with Naomi Ackie and Richard E. Grant. The film arrives Dec. 20.