Star Wars’ First Arab Jedi Role Cut: Shocking Revelation from ‘Quantico’ Actress!

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It appears that the enigma surrounding who tutored Jod Na Nawood in “Star Wars: Skeleton Crew” might be unraveled, as an actress has disclosed her scrapped character from the show. With the conclusion of its initial eight-episode run, fans are anxiously waiting for Disney to confirm Season 2. The anticipation for another season arises not only because it is one of the top Disney+ “Star Wars” series but also due to numerous loose ends that need resolution in subsequent episodes. Among these unresolved questions is the Jedi who instructed Jod Na Nawood on some Force techniques, as mentioned in the final episode. This potential answer has surfaced through the actress’s Instagram post.

As a devoted fan, I couldn’t help but share my excitement upon discovering that the talented Yasmine Al Massri has taken on the role of a Jedi in Skeleton Crew! Known for her captivating performances as Nimah & Raina Amin on Quantico, this Palestinian-born US-American and French actress is about to make Star Wars history. Although she doesn’t delve into specifics regarding the scope of her role or why it didn’t come to fruition, she did confirm that she would have been the first Arab actor to portray a Jedi in the Star Wars saga. Here’s to hoping we’ll get to see more of Yasmine Al Massri’s Jedi skills soon!

Although this was the briefest acting role I’ve ever had, it carried the deepest significance for my inner child – portraying a Jedi in just one scene for Skeleton Crew. When filming wrapped up, I delivered an emotional speech expressing gratitude: ‘You’ve created the first Arab female Jedi… thank you.’ Regrettably, this scene didn’t make it into the final cut, but I can’t help but share my experience and feelings about it. Even Liam Neeson, who rehearsed that scene with me, was there to witness it, and bragging rights among his friends earned me a cool mom moment.

As a fan of Wim’s stories, I speculate that Yasmine Al Massri was initially intended to portray a flashback character – a Jedi who took in and trained Jod Na Nawood before her untimely death during the aftermath of Order 66. Although we don’t know her Jedi name, photos suggest she may have been a Padawan when she taught Jod only basic Force abilities.

In the final episode, the identity of Jod’s mentor remains shrouded in mystery, as the notes he uses to identify Jedi refer to her using female pronouns and describe her as “ragged like him,” hinting at her survival after Order 66. The revelation of who trained Jod is one of the lingering questions from Skeleton Crew.

Given that it appears the storyline was set to offer a definitive answer, I wonder why Disney and Lucasfilm decided to omit Yasmine Al Massri’s scenes?

Yasmine Al Massri’s Jedi from ‘Skeleton Crew’ Revealed

Yasmine Al Massri’s character, had she been included in the Star Wars galaxy, would have provided an exciting new dimension and potentially addressed a significant question about Jod’s background. However, her absence from the series seems noticeable if this was the intended plotline. It appears that her role may have been removed from Skeleton Crew, possibly due to the escalation of the Israel-Hamas conflict. Filming for Skeleton Crew took place from September 2022 to January 2023, while the Israel-Hamas War didn’t start until nine months later, in October 2023. This timeline might imply that her role was eliminated after the conflict commenced. It’s speculated that one reason could be apprehension about depicting the first Arab Jedi being killed by Imperial forces, but it seems significant that this role was omitted from Skeleton Crew while Israeli actress Shari Haas remains cast as Sabra (renamed Ruth) in Captain America: Brave New World.

It’s unfortunate that, much like in “Skeleton Crew,” Palestinian roles have been significantly reduced or eliminated from numerous projects since 2023. For instance, May Calamawy, who played a role in “Moon Knight,” was initially cast for a significant part in “Gladiator II” in May 2023. However, upon the film’s release, her lines were removed entirely, leaving only minimal appearances in the background scenes. Similarly, Melissa Barrera was dismissed from “Scream 7” after expressing support for the Palestinians during the Israel-Hamas conflict. Her pro-Palestine statements were misconstrued as anti-Semitic by some.

In an unexpected turn of events, the Palestinian movie “From Ground Zero” was excluded from the Cannes Film Festival schedule, even though it had been previously selected. The producers responded by organizing a public screening of the film outside the festival in protest.

While roles are often altered for various reasons, it seems unfortunate that Yasmine Al Massri’s role as a Jedi was eliminated, as it could have held significant meaning to many fans. Fingers crossed that Lucasfilm will reconsider and offer her a part in another “Star Wars” project, much like Genevieve O’Reilly, whose Mon Mothma character was initially cut from “Revenge of the Sith,” but has since appeared in “Star Wars: Rebels,” “Rogue One,” and “Andor.

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2025-01-20 00:34