Fans have received the first official look at Phoebe Waller Bridge's new character in Indiana Jones 5. A new image featuring Waller-Bridge was revealed along with details about her previously unknown character.
Before Indiana Jones 5, Waller-Bridge was best known for her popular Amazon Prime series Fleabag, in which she created, wrote, and starred. From there, Waller-Bridge went on to star in numerous TV shows and movies, including Solo: A Star Wars Story, where she voiced the radical droid L3-37. She also wrote the first season of the very popular British series, Killing Eve.
The new photo released by Empire shows Waller-Bridge alongside franchise lead Harrison Ford in what looks like a possible excavation site, a fitting location for the glob-trotting archeologist. Along with this exclusive image, Empire also revealed that the character's name is Helena and that she is Indiana Jones' goddaughter. Further details surrounding her character are still being kept under wraps, but according to Waller-Bridge, “She’s a mystery and a wonder.” Indiana Jones 5 director James Mangold also commented on the character, describing her as “slippery, charming, the girl next door, a grifter.” Even Ford weighed in by calling her character "a pioneer in ethical accounting."
Waller-Bridge also spoke to Empire about her London meeting with legendary producer and President of Lucasfilm Kathleen Kennedy to discuss the role. “Kathy was in London and asked to have dinner with me, and casually mentioned this,” said Waller-Bridge. “I immediately ordered ten bottles of wine. Then it was the fastest I’ve ever read a script; I came out of a sort of haze afterwards. I just couldn’t believe how much fun I had and how moved I was by it. And then I had a Zoom and screamed, ‘YES!’ at them all.” According to Waller-Bridge, a key reference for Mangold was Barbara Stanwyck's role in the 1941 screwball comedy The Lady Eve. “I was like, ‘Oh yeah, sure, I’ll just do my Barbara Stanwyck’,” said Waller-Bridge. “IT’S AN IMPOSSIBLE FEAT.”
While further plot details are being kept under wraps at this time, what's known about Indiana Jones 5 is that it will be Ford's final outing as the fedora-wearing hero. The story is reportedly set in 1969, with Waller-Bridge and Ford set to star alongside John-Ryhs Davies, reprising his role as Sallah from the original films, and Hannibal star Mads Mikkelsen, who plays the film's antagonist, an ex-nazi scientist named Voller.
Voller is a new character who was inspired by the real-life nazi turned NASA scientist, Wernher von Braun. According to Mikkelsen, his character is "a man who would like to correct some of the mistakes of the past."
Indiana Jones 5 is currently scheduled for release on June 30, 2023.
Source: Empire Online