Star Wars has introduced several iconic characters for nearly half a century, but there are three who continue to stand out above all the rest: Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, and Princess Leia.
The Jedi, smuggler, and princess led all three films in George Lucas’ original Star Wars trilogy — A New Hope (1977), The Empire Strikes Back (1980), and Return of the Jedi (1983) — and later became the most revered legacy characters in the entire franchise, returning in Disney and Lucasfilm’s sequel trilogy, and throughout many tie-in projects including animation and gaming.
Related: ‘Star Wars’ Animated Film Series With Han, Luke, and Leia Could Relaunch the Franchise
But although Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, and Carrie Fisher remain synonymous with those roles, many fans are currently preparing to hear new voices behind the three iconic characters.
With the first Star Wars (1977) marking the beginning of the franchise, Lucasfilm is returning to that original film this Christmas. Earlier this year, to celebrate of the franchise’s 50th anniversary in 2027, Disney, Lucasfilm, Welsh broadcaster S4C, and Creative Wales announced the first-ever Welsh-language version of A New Hope.
Titled Star Wars: Gobaith Newydd, it will feature an all-new Welsh voice cast. And here are the three leading actors.
Aimee-Ffion Edwards Is Princess Leia
Aimee-Ffion Edwards, best known for her role as Shirley Dander in Apple TV’s Slow Horses, will voice Princess Leia Organa, who is famously played by the late Carrie Fisher throughout the Star Wars film saga.
Matthew Rhys Is Han Solo
Matthew Rhys, who plays Tom Loftis in the Apple TV series Widow’s Bay, steps up as Han Solo, taking the reins from the legendary Harrison Ford, who portrays the smuggler in the Star Wars films.
Osian Morgan Is Luke Skywalker
Osian Morgan, who starred in S4C’s Welsh soap opera Pobol y Cwm, will voice Luke Skywalker, first brought to life by Mark Hamill, who reprised the role across numerous Star Wars films in the Skywalker Saga.
Several other voice actors will be joining Edwards, Rhys, and Morgan in Gobaith Newydd, including Rhys Ifans (The Amazing Spider-Man) as Obi-Wan Kenobi, Mark Lewis Jones (Star Wars: The Last Jedi) as Darth Vader, Llyr Ifans as C-3PO, Nia Roberts as Aunt Beru, and Richard Harrington as Grand Moff Tarkin.
Star Wars: Gobaith Newydd will premiere on S4C and its streaming platforms on Christmas Day. Watch the official teaser below, which shows the opening text crawl translated into Welsh:
Star Wars Is Turning 50
With the Star Wars franchise’s milestone anniversary officially underway, Lucasfilm has announced several major projects and experiences, many of which revolve around A New Hope.
There will be a theatrical release of a newly restored version of the film in February, while following months will feature live orchestra performances of the 1977 classic throughout the UK.
New comics such as Star Wars: A New Hope – Triple Take, which retells the events of A New Hope from Luke, Han, and Leia’s perspectives, Star Wars/Marvel: Hope Assembles, a crossover between the film and the Marvel universe, and Star Wars: A New Hope – The Complete Manga, a collection of the original manga from the late ’90s, will be hitting shelves early next year.
There’s also Star Wars: The Experience – A Journey Through the Galaxy, an exhibition opening at Philadelphia’s Franklin Institute on February 13 ahead of a five-year tour of North America.
Are you excited to listen to these new actors take on the roles of Luke, Han, and Leia in Welsh? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!
