By George & Josh Bate
For decades, Star Wars has helped launch the careers of actors like Mark Hamill, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, and Adam Driver. Now, Lucasfilm may be preparing to do something similar again.
While Ryan Gosling is the established star headlining Star Wars: Starfighter, much of the conversation surrounding the film has increasingly centered on newcomer Flynn Gray. The young actor is making his feature film debut in one of Hollywood’s biggest franchises, and the people who have worked alongside him have been remarkably consistent in their praise.
Recent comments from director Shawn Levy, actress Amy Adams, and casting director Nina Gold’s collaborator Carmen Cuba all paint the same picture: Lucasfilm believes it has found a special young performer capable of carrying enormous responsibility at the center of an original Star Wars movie.
Star Wars: Starfighter Cast and Crew Can’t Stop Praising Flynn Gray
It’s rare for a first-time feature actor to generate this much enthusiasm before audiences have seen a single frame of their performance. Yet that’s exactly what’s happening with Flynn Gray.
Amy Adams, who joined the cast of Star Wars: Starfighter, recently described Gray as “formidable” while discussing her experience filming the movie. Speaking on the SmartLess podcast, Adams explained how overwhelmed she felt stepping onto a Star Wars set as a lifelong fan, but she also made a point of praising her young co-star, highlighting just how impressed she was by him.
Her comments followed similarly glowing remarks from Shawn Levy. The director revealed that Gray possessed the confidence and maturity required for such a demanding role, despite never having appeared in a feature film before. Levy emphasized that simply being talented wasn’t enough for this part—the actor needed the poise to withstand the intense spotlight that comes with leading a Star Wars production.
When multiple veterans of the industry independently highlight the same qualities in a newcomer, it’s usually worth paying attention.
Perhaps the most revealing comments have come from those responsible for casting the film.
Casting director Carmen Cuba, who worked alongside Nina Gold on Star Wars: Starfighter, recently admitted that finding the right child actor became one of the production’s biggest challenges. She explained that leading a massive blockbuster requires extraordinary stamina and that productions simply cannot afford to cast a child who can’t handle the pressure.
In speaking with Collider, Cuba said she and Gold were especially proud of finding Gray because of the enormous expectations surrounding the project. She described the search as difficult, noting that the role was “such a big part” in such a high-profile Star Wars movie, adding that there was significant pressure to get the casting right.
Levy expanded on those challenges in his own interview, explaining exactly what Lucasfilm needed.
“If you cast someone in a big part in Star Wars opposite Ryan Gosling, you need them to be more than good,” Levy said. He explained that Gray needed enough “internal solidity” to deal with the attention surrounding the franchise before praising the young actor’s preparation, grace, and composure throughout production. Levy even compared Gray’s temperament to the young cast members he worked with on Stranger Things, another project famous for discovering breakout talent.
Amy Adams’ admiration for Gray, combined with Levy’s confidence and the casting team’s pride in discovering him, suggests this wasn’t simply a matter of finding a capable young actor. They believe they found the right young actor.
Flynn Gray’s Casting Charts New Territory for Star Wars
Gray’s role also represents something fairly new for the franchise.
Star Wars has featured memorable child performances before, most notably Jake Lloyd as young Anakin Skywalker in The Phantom Menace. However, Lloyd wasn’t the movie’s primary lead. That distinction belonged to Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi, played by Liam Neeson and Ewan McGregor.
Everything we’ve heard about Starfighter suggests Flynn Gray occupies a different, more central position.
Lucasfilm has consistently presented Ryan Gosling and Gray together in initial photos, while reports indicate the story centers on their shared journey. Levy himself has repeatedly discussed the importance of casting Gray specifically opposite Gosling, reinforcing the idea that the newcomer is one of the film’s central protagonists rather than simply an important supporting character.
If that’s the case, Gray will become the first child actor to truly co-lead a live-action Star Wars movie.
That’s a remarkable amount of responsibility for someone making their feature film debut.
The Trust Lucasfilm Has in Flynn Gray Speaks Volumes
Regardless of how Star Wars: Starfighter ultimately performs, Lucasfilm’s confidence in Flynn Gray is already notable.
Studios usually prefer established names for major franchise roles, especially when those characters carry significant screen time. In this case, Lucasfilm instead entrusted a big-budget film of its upcoming slate to an unknown young actor appearing alongside one of Hollywood’s most recognizable stars.
That decision wasn’t made lightly.
Between Levy’s repeated emphasis on Gray’s maturity, Adams’ enthusiastic praise, and the casting team’s admission that this was one of the production’s most important decisions, it’s clear Lucasfilm believes it found someone exceptional.
History has shown that Star Wars can be an extraordinary launching pad when everything comes together. Whether Flynn Gray follows in the footsteps of the franchise’s previous breakout stars remains to be seen, but the people who know his performance best already sound convinced that audiences are about to discover an actor with a very bright future.