Star Wars 7 adds Pip Andersen and Crystal Clarke to cast, plans hiatus due to Harrison Ford injury

Parkour-practicing actor from Spider-Man advert joins movie

Pip Andersen and Crystal Clarke are relative unknowns (Disney)

Disney and Lucasfilm has issued an update on Star Wars: Episode 7 production, announcing the addition of parkour practitioner Pip Andersen and actress Crystal Clarke to the cast and offering news on Harrison Ford's recovery.

The casting of the unknowns is the result of those open auditions JJ Abrams' sequel held a while back, which saw 37,000 people from 11 cities go for the roles of Rachel, an ambitious, 17-year-old street smart orphan "using humor and guts to get by" and Thomas, a smart, fatherless guy in his late teens or early twenties who "understands you can’t take life too seriously".

The latter will be played by Andersen, who recently showed off his parkour skills in a Spider-Man ad for Sony, while the former will be played by Clarke who will soon star in her first feature, The Moon and the Sun.

"The Star Wars universe has always been about discovering and nurturing young talent and in casting Episode VII we wanted to remain absolutely faithful to this tradition," said producer and Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy. "We are delighted that so many travelled to see us at the open casting calls and that we have been able to make Crystal and Pip a part of the film."

Abu Dhabi filming wrapped in May (YouTube)

Filming in Abu Dhabi wrapped back in May, but continues at London's Pinewood Studios.

In August production will go on a two-week hiatus while Ford continues to recover from his ankle injury believed to have been caused by a malfunctioning Millennium Falcon door.

Read more: Kevin Smith leaves the Star Wars 7 set in tears

The actor is said to be "doing well and is looking forward to returning to the set soon", with principal photography on track to wrap in the autumn.

Star Wars: Episode VII has a scheduled release date of 18 December, 2015.