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<strong>First Order Troopers</strong>, with new weapons and armor design for the sequels. These days, the stormtroopers’ weapons are custom-made (and include flamethrowers!), but in the original trilogy, they were crafted from real firearms by Roger Christian and the prop team.<strong>Han Solo</strong> (Harrison Ford) returns, but is he back to his smuggling ways? It’s been 38 years since Ford initially starred as the scruffy looking nerf herder, and it’s rumored he’s the top-paid actor on the project.<strong>Finn</strong> (John Boyega), a disillusioned member of the First Order. Boyega is no veteran of the silver screen but did have a hit with sci-fi comedy “Attack the Block” in 2011, a performance that drew the attention of “The Force Awakens” director J.J. Abrams.<strong>Captain Phasma</strong> (Gwendoline Christie), a chrome-wearing stormtrooper from the First Order. Christie is one of numerous “Game of Thrones” cast members to feature in the film, including Max von Sydow as Lor San Tekka.<strong>Kylo Ren</strong> (Adam Driver), the movie’s antagonist, wielding a distinctive red lightsaber with crossguard exhausts. Before “Star Wars,” Driver was best known as Adam Sackler, Lena Dunham’s hapless love interest, in the hit HBO series “Girls.” He also happens to be a former Marine.<strong>Maz Kanata</strong> (Lupita Nyong’o), old and wise and shrouded in mystery. The role, undertaken by Nyong’o in a motion-capture outfit, follows her Oscar-winning turn as Patsy in “Twelve Years A Slave.”<strong>Leia</strong> (Carrie Fisher), no longer a princess, going by General in “The Force Awakens.” After years in Hollywood’s hinterland, Fisher is back and has stolen the limelight throughout “The Force Awakens'” publicity tour, bringing her dog Gary along for the ride.<strong>R2-D2 </strong>(Kenny Baker), an astromech droid and “Star Wars” veteran, alongside a mechanical hand. Could it be Luke? Though he’s famous for playing R2, Baker also appeared as an Ewok in “Return of the Jedi” and was set to play Wicket until he fell ill, opening up the chance for Warwick Davis to claim the part for his own.
