"Star Wars: Episode VII" adds two new cast members


We still have another excruciating year and a half to wait before Star Wars Episode VII hits the big screen, but Disney is dropping tidbits of information from the set. Today's disclosure: two new faces are joining the Star Wars universe.

The franchise's official blog announced relatively unknown actors Crystal Clarke and Pip Andersen have been cast in the upcoming film, after attending an open casting call.

Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy said in a statement, "The Star Wars universe has always been about discovering and nurturing young talent, and in casting Episode VII, we wanted to remain absolutely faithful to this tradition."

Clarke is an American actress studying in Glasgow, with several stage and short film credits to her name. She'll also be appearing in another feature film in 2015 called "The Moon and The Sun."

Andersen has already made a name for himself as a skilled freerunner; his parkour skills were recently on display in this Spiderman-themed Sony ad.

The two actors were selected from the list of approximately 67,000 hopefuls who turned up for the open casting call in person and online. Open auditions were held across the U.K. and the U.S. back in November 2013. (Via NBC)

The other big Star Wars news announced Sunday involved series veteran Harrison Ford, who injured his leg recently during filming. Production will be halted for two weeks in August to let the actor recuperate. (Via Getty Images)

Filming on Episode VII is still scheduled to wrap this fall. The movie will be released on Dec. 18, 2015.

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