CLASSIC IMAGE: GENEVIEVE O'REILLY AS REBEL LEADER MON MOTHMA

Legendary Rebel Alliance leader Mon Mothma makes her first appearance in EPISODE III.

In 2003, fans were overjoyed at George Lucas's plans to integrate more classic elements from the original STAR WARS Trilogy into the final part of the STAR WARS Prequel Trilogy, further bringing in the bridge from one side of the Saga's history to the other. As well as Vader at the films finale, we were to have Chewbacca and the Wookiees, spaceship cameos from what would be one of the Rebel Blockade Runners and the Millennium Falcon. But one of the most important links in III would be the birth of the Rebel Alliance to fight the Empire, shepherded into existence by a core group of players including Bail Organa, Padme Amidala and new (later to be RETURN OF THE JEDI figurehead) Mon Mothma. Originally played in 1982 for JEDI by distinguished British actress Caroline Blakiston, this time around the younger incarnation of Mothma would be portrayed by the lovely actress Genevieve O'Reilly. I met a Miss O'Reilly a while back at a UK collectors show at Cheshunt, and she recalled how, despite the scenes being cut from the film (though later released on DVD), she greatly enjoyed working on EPISODE III, loved hers and the others costumes and seeing the aliens, and liked George Lucas. She also remembered how one scene involving the DELEGATION OF 2000 had to be shot without Jimmy Smits as Bail Organa (Smits had not yet arrived in Australia for the filming), so a double was used saying his dialogue and in costume (with the actor re-filming the scene individually and later superimposed over the long shot).

Mon Mothma, as played by the lovely Genevieve O'Reilly

Having already made a small appearance in both THE MATRIX RELOADED and THE MATRIX REVOLUTIONS (as a Xion technician) prior to STAR WARS, Irish born, Australia raised O'Reilly would come to the UK and US and work in a variety of successful film and TV projects (including playing the late Princess Diana in DIANA: LAST DAYS OF A PRINCESS, a regular role as American Operative Sarah Caulfield in the hit BBC spy series SPOOKS (known in the US as MI5) and in the enjoyable political thriller THE STATE WITHIN (with HARRY POTTER's Jason Isaacs). Other film work would include the recent period drama THE YOUNG VICTORIA. She's also had a very good career on the London stage, working with Kevin Spacey at the Old Vic and more recently opposite young star in the making Ben Barnes (THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA) in the hit play BIRDSONG (based on the acclaimed book by Sebastian Faulks), at the London COMEDY THEATRE until January 15th 2011). Below is a nice image of the pair linked to the start of the plays run, in a photo shoot taken for the London EVENING STANDARD magazine in 2010 by Nicky Emerson.

 

STAR WARS AFICIONADO wishes Genevieve continued success in all areas of her acting career.