Get our free weekly email for all the latest cinematic news from our film critic Clarisse Loughrey Get our The Life Cinematic email for free
While Star Wars
In the original trilogy, the three main characters – Harrison Ford’s Han Solo, Carrie Fischer’s Princess Leia and Mark Hamill’s Luke Skywalker – were all white.
JJ Abrams on the other hand has often been praised for bringing diversity to his movies, as pointed out by two young Asian fans at the San Diego Comic Con.
Show all 30 1 /30In pictures: Comic-Con 2015 In pictures: Comic-Con 2015 Comic-Con 2015 Co-hosts/actors Bella Thorne (L) and Tyler Posey perform onstage during the MTV Fandom Fest San Diego Comic-Con at PETCO Park
In pictures: Comic-Con 2015 Comic-Con 2015 Executive producer/creator Bryan Fuller waves as he arrives at the 'Hannibal' Savor the Hunt panel during Comic-Con International 2015
Getty Images
In pictures: Comic-Con 2015 Comic-Con 2015 Actor Ron Perlman poses for a portrait with Ron Perlman impersonators at Comic-Con International 2015 in San Diego
In pictures: Comic-Con 2015 Comic-Con 2015 Cosplay enthusiasts Jonathan Michael (L) and Connor Breen are dressed like the Mad Hatter from "Alice in Wonderland" during the 2015 Comic-Con International Convention in San Diego
In pictures: Comic-Con 2015 Comic-Con 2015 Guests attend the Dragon Ball Z: Resurrection 'F' San Diego Comic-Con opening night VIP party held at Whiskey Girl in San Diego
In pictures: Comic-Con 2015 Comic-Con 2015 Actor Denis Leary speaks on stage at the FX TV Block featuring 'Sex&Drugs&Rock&Roll,' 'The Strain,' and a sneak peek of 'The Bastard Executioner' panel during Comic-Con International 2015
Getty Images
In pictures: Comic-Con 2015 Comic-Con 2015 Actor Greg Grunberg (left) and writer/producer Tim Kring take a selfie on stage at the 'Heroes Reborn' exclusive extended trailer and panel during Comic-Con International 2015
Getty Images
In pictures: Comic-Con 2015 Comic-Con 2015 Actress Lea Michele walks onstage at the 'American Horror Story' and 'Scream Queens' panel during Comic-Con International 2015
Getty Images
In pictures: Comic-Con 2015 Comic-Con 2015 Actresses Emma Roberts (L) and Lea Michele of the show 'Scream Queens' visit the Scream Queens Mega Drop Ride during Comic-Con International 2015
Getty Images
In pictures: Comic-Con 2015 Comic-Con 2015 (L-R) Actors Liam Hemsworth, Josh Hutcherson, Jennifer Lawrence and director Francis Lawrence of "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2" attends the Lionsgate press room during Comic-Con International 2015 at the Hilton Bayfront in San Diego
In pictures: Comic-Con 2015 Comic-Con 2015 Actor Jeffrey Dean Morgan and actress Halle Berry speak onstage during CBS TV Studios' panel for "Extant" during Comic-Con International 2015 at the San Diego Convention Center
In pictures: Comic-Con 2015 Comic-Con 2015 Cosplayers pose for pictures while a picketer holds a pro-religion sign outside of the Convention Center at the 2015 Comic-Con International in San Diego
In pictures: Comic-Con 2015 Comic-Con 2015 Brandon Moriesta (R) interacts with a Cosplay character at the 2015 Comic-Con International in San Diego
In pictures: Comic-Con 2015 Comic-Con 2015 A group of Power Rangers pose inside the Convnetion Center at the 2015 Comic-Con International in San Diego
In pictures: Comic-Con 2015 Comic-Con 2015 A person who goes by the name of Nomad poses for a photo during the 2015 Comic-Con International Convention in San Diego
In pictures: Comic-Con 2015 Comic-Con 2015 Lee Shannon, dressed as Ming the Merciless, and his girlfriend Kira Krend, of Kaneohe, Hawaii, chat on the escalator at Comic-Con International in San Diego
In pictures: Comic-Con 2015 Comic-Con 2015 Fans wear costumes at the convention center on opening day of the 2015 Comic-Con International in San Diego
In pictures: Comic-Con 2015 Comic-Con 2015 Attendee Jerry Lee holds up his baby Dylan Lee, seven months, between Lego figures of Iron Man and The Hulk at Comic Con International in San Diego
In pictures: Comic-Con 2015 Comic-Con 2015 Dustin Agosta, whose drag name is Discord Adams, is dressed as a drag Joker at Comic Con International in San Diego
In pictures: Comic-Con 2015 Comic-Con 2015 Young attendees look at a figure of a zombie from "The Walking Dead" television show at Comic Con International in San Diego
In pictures: Comic-Con 2015 Comic-Con 2015 Ayelet Bick takes a photograph of herself next to a Star Wars figureat Comic-Con 2015 in San Diego
In pictures: Comic-Con 2015 Comic-Con 2015 Super heroes on display at the Comic-Con in San Diego
In pictures: Comic-Con 2015 Comic-Con 2015 An attendee dressed in cosplay as the character Ash from the movie "The Evil Dead" outside the 2015 Comic-Con International in San Diego
In pictures: Comic-Con 2015 Comic-Con 2015 Ronnie Nadal poses for a photograph with his two daughters, Kalissa, 9, and Kailah, 6, at Comic-Con 2015 in San Diego
In pictures: Comic-Con 2015 Comic-Con 2015 Sabastian and Julia Sanzberro, dressed as Fred Flinstone and Barney Rubble, walk the trade floor at the 2015 Comic-Con International in San Diego
In pictures: Comic-Con 2015 Comic-Con 2015 People dressed as sharks dance outside the San Diego Convention
In pictures: Comic-Con 2015 Comic-Con 2015 Participants dressed in Zombie outfits walk down the Gaslamp Quarter outside of the 2015 Comic-Con International in San Diego,
In pictures: Comic-Con 2015 Comic-Con 2015 A dressed participant at Comic-Con International in San Diego Convention Center
In pictures: Comic-Con 2015 Comic-Con 2015 Dressed participants at Comic-Con International in San Diego Convention Center
In pictures: Comic-Con 2015 Comic-Con 2015 Participants pose for the photograph at the Comic-Con International 2015 in San Diego
They seized the opportunity to ask whether the upcoming Star Wars: The Force Awakens Star Trek ?
“First, I want to say: go, Asians,” the director joked. “I’m not casting the movies that are coming up but if I was I would cast them as only Asian. I think you’ll see there are Asians in this film.”
He then went on to talk about John Boyega’s leading character, Fin: “We didn’t write Fin to be any colour or anyone to be any colour,” he added, referring to John Boyega’s character in the film. “We just cast the movie.”
Elsewhere on the Star Wars panel a behind-the-scenes clip was shown that gave us out first look at Leia and Luke Skywalker while also confirming that Simon Pegg will be in the film.
Read our full rundown of what went on here .
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies