The entire Internet is currently reeling over the news that 12 Years A Slave actress and awards season MVP Lupita Nyong'o has joined Star Wars: Episode VII. However in all of that excitement, people seem to have forgotten that another new cast member was added with the same announcement. Gwendoline Christie will also be in Star Wars and while she might not be as immediately recognizable as Nyong'o, she already has some solid experience and is another rising star to watch in coming years.
If you did recognize Christie's name, it's likely from her current role as Brienne of Tarth on Game of Thrones, but there is much more to her than the HBO series. The 36-year-old began her acting career in 2007, after graduating from the Drama Centre London in 2005. Her first few roles were small, appearing in The Time Surgeon and The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, which is known for being Heath Ledger's last role, as he passed away during its production.
After appearing as herself in the TV documentary Seven Ages of Britain, Christie starred in the BBC childrens' series Wizards vs. Aliens and since you're probably curious, she played an alien. A third season of the show is planned, set to air sometime in 2014 or 2015.
Game of Thrones is Christie's only other current role, but she will soon appear in another major film franchise, The Hunger Games. Christie will play Commander Lyme in both of the The Hunger Games: Mockingjay movies, a Hunger Games victor who leads District 2 into the rebellion against the Capitol. Originally the role was given to American Horror Story's Lily Rabe, but she had to drop out due to a scheduling conflict and was replaced by Christie.
Christie may have been the lesser known addition to Star Wars, but with roles in so many hugely popular series, it's only a matter of time before she becomes one of Hollywood's go-to actresses.
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