Believe it or not, Filipino cosplay “it” girl Alodia Gosiengfiao didn’t get into “Star Wars” the first time she watched the original trilogy years ago. But it all changed when she watched the CGI animated series “Star Wars Rebels.”
“I’d watched the movies a long time ago, but it was only when I was watching the TV series that I got into it,” the 27-year-old Alodia said. “There’s a character named Sabine, and she’s quite artistic, and that became my entry point.”
She’s talking about Sabine Wren, the sassy, crafty Mandalorian arms expert who runs with the rogue crew on the Ghost.
It didn’t take a Jedi mind trick to win her over. After all, Alodia loves strong female characters—and knows a thing or two about changing what you look like, about becoming a creation of her own.
She began looking into the “Star Wars” universe and loved what she saw. “It’s a totally different world,” she said. “How did George Lucas imagine all of it? It’s just amazing! They have their own languages. It’s a complete world.”
True to her love for the TV series. Alodia has actually cosplayed as Sabine. She’d also like to do so as Princess Leia. “But I’d do my own version of her, an Asian version,” she said.
“Star Wars Rebels” has returned for its second season to the Disney Channel and Disney XD. Disney is pushing the show with a unique promotion: the “Design Your Own Stormtrooper Helmet” campaign, in which fans use online tools to whip up their own take on the iconic headgear for prizes.
Girly but strong
More than 100,000 fans from Southeast Asia joined; Disney invited Alodia to try her hand at it, as well.
“I was so excited, I made three designs,” she said, ultimately choosing the one that worked best. “I focused on what I liked, something girly but also strong. So I used pink and purple, with a ‘Rebels’ sticker.”
Aside from watching “Rebels,” Alodia is now really excited for the coming arrival of the next film, “Star Wars: Episode VII-The Force Awakens,” on Dec. 17. “There are strong female characters in the new film, like Rey and Captain Phasma,” she said. “I don’t really know anything about them, but I think they can be my next characters for cosplay.” She even has a remote-controlled BB-8 droid toy.
Now that she’s discovered the Force, Alodia is a good example of a girl who has gotten into “Star Wars,” that empire of a franchise that’s extremely popular among boys. “I actually hope that more girls watch it because they show how women can be strong leaders,” she said. “Princess Leia is a good example.”
Alodia has gifts of her own, as evidenced by her videos, cosplay appearances and constant traveling. “I’m doing a lot of my own videos and flying out to do shows,” she said. She and her sister Ashley recently traveled to South Africa, where they had parts as background players in the 2017 zombie movie “Resident Evil: The Final Chapter.”
What Alodia Gosiengfiao would also want is to journey to a galaxy far, far away. She would love to be an extra in a “Star Wars” film, even if only in the background: “Hopefully, that can happen. It would be amazing! I can be one of the aliens!”
“Star Wars Rebels” is now running on Disney Channel and Disney XD. Disney’s “Star Wars Episode VII-The Force Awakens” opens in Philippine cinemas on Dec. 17.