Lucasfilm has been taking some heat lately for its lack of diversity in choosing Star Wars directors, and it’s a complaint I haven’t necessarily agreed with. We have to remember that most of the movies were controlled by one man who naturally hired those most like him. Hey, it was what it was. But with the franchise branching off into spinoffs and new trilogies, it was time to have somebody other than a white male behind the camera. Yesterday that became a reality.
Ava DuVernay tweeted an image yesterday that had the Internet buzzing, and for good reason. Victoria Mahoney was hired as second unit director on Star Wars: Episode 9, becoming the first black female director on a Star Wars movie. Along with her acting career (she appeared on Seinfeld!) and TV work helming episodes of Gypsy, Queen Sugar, and more, she also directed the 2011 feature film Yelling To The Sky starring Zoe Kravitz.
She’ll be working alongside director J.J. Abrams on the film, and who knows? Maybe this will lead to her getting a Star Wars movie of her own? Star Wars: Episode 9 opens December 20th 2019.
Happy to share this historic news. A black woman directing stories in a galaxy far, far away. First unit director #JJAbrams. Second unit director @VictoriaMahoney. #StarWarsE9 #StarWars pic.twitter.com/s689jv9I4u— Ava DuVernay (@ava) April 17, 2018
