This Is Who Lupita Nyong’o Will Play in The New Star Wars

2 minute read

As revealed in the June issue of Vanity Fair, Lupita Nyong’o will play a motion-capture character named Maz Kanata in Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Per the magazine, Kanata is a pirate with no allegiances to either the Resistance (the new name for the Rebel Alliance) or the First Order (the new Empire).

That Nyong’o is playing a digital character has long been rumored online. As far back as October of last year, sites were reporting that the Oscar-winning star’s secret role might be of the performance-capture variety. After the most recent Force Awakens trailer was released, Uproxx senior writer Mike Ryan also speculated that Nyong’o’s character was in possession of Luke Skywalker’s lightsaber.

The other bits of news confirmed by Vanity Fair:Adam Driver is indeed playing Kylo Ren, the film’s villain, while Gwendoline Christie stars as Captain Phasma, aka the chrome Stromtrooper. New photos of Driver, Nyong’o and co-star Oscar Isaac are available over at Vanity Fair’s website. There’s also a behind-the-scenes video of the magazine’s photo shoot which can be watched below.

This article originally appeared on EW.com.

Rare Photos of George Lucas Behind the Scenes of Star Wars

LUCASFILM-01
George Lucas and Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker) on the set of Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope in a galaxy far, far away.Lucasfilm
Lucas gives direction to Sir Alec Guinness (Obi-Wan Kenobi) in Episode IV.Lucasfilm
Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher (Princess Leia) and Harrison Ford (Han Solo) sit around Lucas on the set of The Empire Strikes Back.Lucasfilm
Lucas with Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca), along with Hamill and Ford on the set of Episode IV.Lucasfilm
Lucas directs Peter Cushing (Grand Moff Tarkin) and Carrie Fisher.Lucasfilm
Harrison Ford and Lucas share a moment in Endor on the set of Return of the Jedi.Lucasfilm
Lucas on set filming the opening scene of Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope.Lucasfilm
Lucas reviews concept art for Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones.Lucasfilm
Lucas inspects a model pod racer for Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace.Lucasfilm
Lucas makes sure that the Death Star is fully armed and operational for Return of the Jedi.Lucasfilm
Lucas holds up Jango Fett's helmet.Lucasfilm
Natalie Portman (Queen Amidala) and Ewan McGregor (Obi-Wan Kenobi) listen to Lucas' directions on the set of Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith.Lucasfilm
Lucas directs a lightsaber battle between Ian McDiarmid (Chancellor Palpatine/Darth Sidious) and Samuel L. Jackson (Mace Windu) on the set of Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith.Lucasfilm
Lucas sets up camp next to a Bantha on the set of Episode IV.Lucasfilm
Lucas finds the droid he was looking for.Lucasfilm

More Must-Reads from TIME

Contact us at letters@time.com