Disney Plus' Willow series ropes in three female leads

Three actors, including one from the Star Wars universe, have been roped in for the Disney+ Willow series, based on the famous Lucasfilms' classic of the same name. According to Deadline, Ellie Bamber, Cailee Spaeny, and Erin Kellyman have been cast in vital roles in the series.

Bamber, who is well-known for her appearances in Les Miserables and Nocturnal Animals will play the lead character Dove, a humble kitchen maid who proves herself on a quest. Spaeny, who is known for starring in The Craft: Legacy and Pacific Rim: Uprising, Bad Times at the El Royale, will play Kit, a princess whose twin brother's abduction sparks the central quest of the series.

Kellyman, who previously starred in Solo: A Star Wars Story and Les Miserables, will play the role of Jade, a servant who is Kit's best friend and one of the greatest warriors in the Willowverse. Notably, Kellman's role as Jade will make her one of the few stars to have played major characters in two Lucasfilm franchises, the others being Warwick Davis and Han Solo/Indiana Jones actor Harrison Ford.

The original Willow movie was helmed by Ron Howard (Solo: A Star Wars Story, A Beautiful Mind), and had Warwick Davis playing the titular role. In October 2020, Lucasfilm confirmed that Willow will return as a TV series for Disney+, with Davis returning to play his original character of Willow Ufgood.

Howard and Bob Dolman, the original director and writer, respectively, are the producers of the series, along with director John M Chu (Known for Crazy Rich Asians, Now You See Me 2). Chu will reportedly also direct the first episode. 

The showrunner will be Star Wars veteran Jonathan Kasdan, who co-wrote Solo: A Star Wars Story with his father Lawrence Kasdan, the co-writer of three prior Star Wars movies.