The Wrap is reporting that Gina Rodriguez (Jane the Virgin), Tatiana Maslany (Orphan Black), and Olivia Cooke (Me and Earl and the Dying Girl) are the top contenders for that new role. Some sources say that Johnson is still holding auditions for several actresses, while others claim he’s narrowed the field down to the three listed here and they’ll be doing screen tests with Force Awakens star John Boyega (who plays Finn) by the end of the month. Either way, all three actors seem to be in contention.
Of course, as with most things Star Wars, details about what the new role entails are nonexistent. As such, it makes it difficult to say which of the reported trio is the true front-runner. You may recall that Maslany was a candidate for the Star Wars: Rogue One lead part that eventually went to Felicity Jones, so she obviously has made an impression with Disney and Lucasfilm. However, all three ladies have shown they are talented performers (receiving much acclaim and even awards – both in nominations and wins), so any of them would be a welcome inclusion to the series.