The animated Star Wars series The Clone Wars movie and series with a special casting. The Clone Wars featured several characters both new and old to the Star Wars universe but mostly focused on Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Ahsoka Tano, Anakin's new padawan. Starting in The Clone Wars film and throughout the entire spinoff series, Ahsoka was voiced by Ashley Eckstein.
When Ahsoka series, cementing her position in the franchise. However, before the live-action Ahsoka series, Tales of the Jedi premiered three episodes focusing on Ahsoka at various times of her life. In a great move honoring the original animated The Clone Wars series, Lucasfilm brought back Eckstein to voice Ahsoka. This was a fitting tribute to the inception of the character ahead of more prominent live-action roles, honoring Eckstein's legacy and her role in helping Ahsoka become one of the most popular Star Wars characters.
Why Lucasfilm Recast Ahsoka In Live-Action
There are many reasons Lucasfilm cast Dawson as Ahsoka for The Mandalorian instead of Eckstein. Eckstein is primarily a voice actor while Dawson has more experience on screen, which means she would be a better fit for the live-action shows. Dawson's face structure and physical appearance are also a good fit for Ahsoka visually. Eckstein was originally hired to portray a 14-year-old Ahsoka, which her voice is suited for, while Ahsoka is supposed to be 45 years old in her first appearance in The Mandalorian. Dawson is 43, a little closer to Ahsoka's correct age than Eckstein, who is 41. All of this makes Dawson a great choice for the role.
Why Ashley Eckstein Was The Right Voice Actor For Tales Of The Jedi
Tales of the Jedi season 1, episode 1, "Life and Death," covers the events of Ahsoka's birth and the discovery of her Force powers, so she's only a baby with no lines. Eckstein returns as Ahsoka in episode 5, "Practice Makes Perfect," and episode 6, "Resolve" (the intervening three episodes focus on Revenge of the Sith. Because these episodes feature a much younger Ahsoka, still in her teens, it makes sense to bring back Eckstein to provide her voice.
The Ahsoka episodes of Tales of the Jedi almost act as bonus episodes of The Clone Wars. Had Dawson provided Ahsoka's voice for these episodes instead, Tales of the Jedi would have felt out of place next to The Clone Wars. While the live-action and animated Star Wars shows all exist in the same universe, they have different tones, styles, and plots. If Lucasfilm does make more animated projects like Tales of the Jedi that include Ahsoka, they should keep Eckstein as her voice, while Dawson sticks to live-action.