Part 6/10:
Adding fuel to the debate, it’s noted that the actress who portrays Mon Mothma, Guinevere O’Reilly, has cited inspiration from real-world female political leaders like Angela Merkel and Jacinda Ardern. O’Reilly has previously spoken about drawing from figures associated with strong leadership, similar to what her character embodies—in her own way—within the Star Wars universe. Conversely, critics argue that some of the real-life figures used as inspiration, such as AOC (Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez), have been associated with highly partisan and contentious political stances, including vocal support for strict lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic.