NEED TO KNOW
Bryce Dallas Howard is spilling the tea on whether working for Disney gets her a specific Disney-related perk.
The actress and director recently caught up with PEOPLE exclusively while attending L.A. Comic Con. During the conversation, PEOPLE asked whether her involvement within the Star Wars universe — which is owned by Disney — has translated to an all-access pass to Disneyland.
“I wish! I wish,” Howard, 44, replies.
The Jurassic World star has directed several episodes of fan-favorite The Mandalorian, as well as an episode of both The Book of Boba Fett and Skeleton Crew, and two upcoming episodes of Ahsoka — all on Disney+.
And while the jobs may not have led to time at the brand’s theme parks, Howard says she’s thrilled to have been a part of the projects nonetheless.
Chelsea Guglielmino/Getty
“I love it so, so, so much,” she says of directing within the Star Wars universe. “I yearn to stay on this path of being able to be in that world, and grow, and learn and challenge myself.”
She adds, “But also, it’s not just about me. It’s about the medium. So many people want to do things in Star Wars. And […] you have to kind of look at the reasons why. Is it because it brings you back to your childhood? Is it because you think that that’s the way to make a lot of money? Is it because you are very connected to the audience and you want to deliver an experience? What’s the motivation?”
The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now!
“For me, I’ve let go of wishing or yearning for something that is specific in terms of results, like film, animation, streaming. Whatever it is, if I can be of service to Lucasfilm, I will,” she continues.
Rodin Eckenroth/Getty
Howard went on to say that she appreciates the unexpectedly “indie” mentality of working on Star Wars-related shows — despite the fact that the projects technically have significant budgets.
“They’re [Star Wars creatives] very efficient in terms of resources, because they know — while there is access to resources that most projects wouldn’t have — they don’t want to take advantage of it. They want to stretch [the budget] as far as you can. You want every dollar to be onscreen,” she says. “And so […] it’s using the indie mentality of like, ‘Okay, how can we get this in a way that’s efficient, and economical and serves the story?’ And sometimes, as everyone knows, the limitations obviously often give birth to the greatest ideas.”
“When it comes down to it, if you need the thing to happen, it can happen on a Star Wars set. And as a filmmaker, there’s no greater privilege,” she says.
While speaking during a panel discussion at the event, Howard opened up about her time directing episodes of Ahsoka specifically — as well as her thoughts on the upcoming second season.
“Y’all, it’s so good. It’s SO good,” she teases. “It is beautiful; it is thrilling; it is adventurous; it is romantic. It’s all the things that you want from an epic story.”
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
She adds, “I just got to finish that up and [am] working on the cut, and it is just one of the greatest privileges and joys of my life, getting to play in that sandbox.”
Ahsoka season 2 is expected to premiere on Disney+ in 2026.
