Rogue One Jimmy Smits (Bail Organa) in Rogue One

REALLY good point, Django Fett! I agree-if they'd go so far as to have the same actor play a character who didn't even appear in the final version of ROTS, I'd be surprised if they didn't try to also get the same actor for a character who played a notable part in the final film!

 

It has to be Organa. And, most likely, the other individual is Jan Dodonna, who was also possibly glimpsed in the background in the first Rogue One trailer. The sizzle reel also has a shot of a possible Tarkin (personally, I think it is Tarkin).

Vader, Mon Mothma, Dodonna, Organa, Tarkin...given the time period, and subject matter, it just makes sense that these characters appear in the film.

In the EW article that officially announces Vader in the film, it states that time period allows Lucasfilm to include Vader, "along with a few other classic characters," which Lucasfilm did not disclose. Dodonna, Organa, Tarkin---I think they're some of the ones included in that "other classic characters" group, as well as the previously known Mon Mothma.

Which begs the question....will we get a juicy scene with Ian McDiarmid? Mas Amedda? Brief Alderaan appearance? Brief Coruscant appearance?

 

I think that is Smits as Bail. I'm guessing he will be in one scene, and maybe mentioned in a second scene or something. He probably did two days work on the movie. An extended cameo they want to keep a lid on for now (hence no close up and he's only glimpsed behind a camera)...I think it is a smart move to have him in the movie. With Vader in it, and a Tarkin cameo, this really will be the ultimate bridge between the PT and the OT, especially if we see R2 and 3PO on the Tantive IV at the very end. Any word on that?

 

Barristan Semly, one of the greatest sword-fighters in the land, seems to be in that shot as well.

 

Dang man, a lot of speculation there, most I think won't happen beside the confirmed Vader.

I just don't see that being Bail. His colors just don't match the Alderaan look, and his goatee isn't exactly Bail-looking. And if this takes place a few days, maybe less, before ANH, why is he on Yavin? He should be on Alderaan. I mean, it's not impossible her appear on Yavin for the mission briefing then say he needs to return to Alderaan for final planning. I'd love Smits back, and he very well might be in the film, but that character isn't Bail IMO.

 

...
And why can't he be on Yavin IV, even if the film takes place "a few days" before ANH? As an aside, did we ever actually get concrete confirmation that that's when the film is taking place?

Regardless, hyperspace exists. As you suggested, Organa can easily travel between systems without it taking much time. His appearance in this brief shot (and obstructed, no less) doesn't necessarily match with what we've seen of him before (in the PT and Rebels), but we can't just use that as reasoning to completely discard the theory. The events occur later in time, people grow old, change, etc.

We may not know for sometime if this is Bail (and if that's Dodonna beside him), but I think it's a pretty good theory. We shall see...

 

We're pretty happy Dodonna is there, from the first Trailer. This movie is Cameo City. It's gonna be Bail. (Prequel Character! Prequel Character! )
"Someone" has said that this movie leads up to 10 minutes before ANH starts.

 

Yeah! No doubt it makes sense to have Bail in this film. And, it has to be JS.

<---------Love it.

 

That would be the coolest thing ever!!!

 

Is it a prequel character? Prequel actor, yes, but not a prequel character. Leia mentioned him in A New Hope. A prequel character would be like Jar Jar, or Mace Windu.

 

It sure looks like Jimmy Smits

 

Come, now. A mention does not make a character. If we see Bail, it shows that Edwards is not afraid to give us characters we first saw in the prequels.

 

Of course nothing is Official. But I think it is indeed Bail Organa, played again by Jimmy Smits. It would be a real coincidence if this Character, who looks like Jimmy Smits' Organa, down to his unique cloak draping down one shoulder(like in ROTS), ends up being someone else. Yes, his cloak isn't the color of Alderaan; but the Rebel Alliance is not Officially(Publicyly) connected with Alderaan.

 

True. Though, now I'm imagining the convolutions of Bail employing a secret tailor to cut a secret wardrobe of Rebellion-drab, to be worn exclusively to secret meetings, etc.

Not that I'd put that entirely past the character or the wardrobe department.

Anyway, I agree that that does look like Bail, and Smits playing him - the hairline and cheekbone look about right to me.

 

It seems quite normal for Bail Organa to have formal Alderaanian attire, and Rebel Alliance military attire.

 

Yes, it does seem normal. Add to that "honorable" and even "likely." But complicated.

EDIT: It would require, further, a secret closet in which to keep these secret clothes, whereas Mon Monthma is wearing her standard attire, and she can wear it anywhere. But I suppose Dodonna knows all about the sartorial struggles of a Rebellion leader. And I suppose I'm just off on a tangent, as usual.

 

I would love the see Bail in the movie but only if he's played by Smits.

 

It does look like him.

 

It'd be a simple deal.
$50K for 2 hours work. A couple of lines, stand around in the background. Don't say nuthin to no-one afterwards.

An easy pay cheque for Jimmy.

 

Would be great to have Smits there, but OK with a recast too. Especially given the time gap.

 

It's been 11 years since ROTS. ANH takes place 19 years after. So an 8 year age difference isn't very noticeable.

 

I want to see Bail so badly. Please Lucasfilm, don't bail on this!

 

"you must unlearn what you have learned." (sorry about the long post)

I think we all forget to rethink what we already know. Lots of what we assumed we knew in this area...was just passive information that we accepted at face value. But if we scrutinize the information going on during this time frame you realize what is possible.

We know from the opening crawl ANH, that there was a battle where the rebels stole the plans to the death star. And R1 is going to help us understand how this group of rebels was assembled, how it was planned, and how this plan was executed. So, it makes sense that the leaders of the rebellion at the time are in the film. Also the presumed base of operations is Yavin, so yeah, they should all be there at some point--beginning of film and majority of R1.

Now sometime later after the plans are stolen, Vader is put in charge of tracking down the leak/source of treachery. He finally narrows down the search to Princess L. He chases her down and bam...ANH. Remember, she becomes a prisoner, gets interrogated, and eventually used to decide which planet gets blown up. Does this happen in a few minutes, or is it days? What do the leaders of the rebellion do when they hear Tantive IV was attacked and "all aboard were killed?" We did not see any of that.

So, the background details we know were given to us very quickly, but it does not mean it happens immediately from battle, stolen plans, to chase. Meaning, plans getting stolen and beamed to Leia is not necessary within minutes.

We also know that Princess L was on the way to personally ask General Kenobi to help join the Rebellion and return with her to Alderaan at the request of her father--Bail. But she was tracked down by Vader and her ship was under attack when she was almost there. Death Star plans were beamed to her at some point--hence how she was tracked down. Info goes into R2, and we know the rest. Don't know if getting the plans was last minute thing on the way to get Kenobi and she just so happens to be close by. Or she got the plans, discussions happened, then she was forced to go get Kenobi after the fact, instead of just returning back to Yavin/Alderaan with those plans.

But, at some point Bail needed to instruct Leia that it was time to request Kenobi to come out of hiding, and send her off on a mission get him and bring him back to Alderaan. So, Bail likely is going to go back to Alderaan and wait for both of them. Nowhere was it implied that everyone involved--was going to hang out and meet back at Yavin. So, makes sense that after the success of the recent operation--they were scrambling to figure out what to do with the massive news. Meaning, they may have already realized/discussed what they were dealing with and found out what the weapon of mass destruction actually was. But needed the actual technical read-outs to be analyzed before being able to hash out a complete plan. In the meantime, preparations were placed in motion--Mon Montha leaves Yavin to do whatever she needed to do--maybe go to the Senate/Coruscant to try to find out if Leia the diplomate was really dead or not, since now MIA. Bail leaves Yavin to go to Alderaan and waits to see if Kenobi brought to him. Dodanna stays at Yavin to continue coordinatng military maneuvers.

So, to me--all of that makes sense. They could all be present at Yavin at the beginning of R1. And all get completely scattered in the urgent chaos towards the end R1.

 

I thought R1 takes place just days before ANH?