Keri Russell to Join J.J. Abrams' STAR WARS: Episode IX

Variety has reported that J.J. Abrams is in early talks with Keri Russell to join "Star Wars: Episode IX," which Abrams is writing and directing. Russell and Abrams last collaborated on 2006's "Mission: Impossible III."

The role calls for action-heavy fight scenes and Russell has shown her ability to perform tough stunts in projects like FX's "The Americans," "Mission: Impossible," and "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes."

Abrams and Lucasfilm execs had been meeting with several actresses for the role for the past two months and settled on Russell right before the Fourth of July holiday. Abrams will likely cast two more actors by the time the film begins production at the end of the month. John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, and Adam Driver are all expected to return.

Russell first came to fame for portraying the title role of Felicity Porter on the series Felicity, which ran from 1998 to 2002, and for which she won a Golden Globe Award.

Russell has since appeared in several films including Mission: Impossible III (2006), Waitress (2007), August Rush (2007), Extraordinary Measures (2010), Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014), and Free State of Jones (2016). She starred as KGB agent Elizabeth Jennings in the FX television series The Americans for which she received Primetime Emmy Award and Golden Globe nominations. In 2017, Russell received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Photo Credit: Walter McBride