SJM_PEOPLE_Dept_Ashley Eckstein_0922Reg1 . qxp_layout 9 / 26 / 22 11 : 35 AM Page 2 ASHLEY ECKSTEIN and Beach Club where we had the most my friend , and asked David to be my date the most powerful characters in Star Wars . magical Disney fairytale reception I could for a movie premiere . Fortunately , he said She eventually left the Jedi Order and be - have ever imagined . It was definitely a yes and the rest is history . We grew up just came one of the founders of the rebellion dream come true . 35 minutes apart but had to travel cross - in Star Wars . Ahsoka is just a great character country to actually meet . through and through and she represents Can you tell us a little about your the light side of the force , she represents husband , David Eckstein ? Youhave played some memorable hope , and she represents all that is good . I am definitely the luckiest girl in the world charactersbut are probably best People have really fallen in love with her to have found my Prince Charming . He is knownfor your work as Ahsoka Tano . over the years because we’ve had so much the most amazing man and an incredible Isit true you have been voicing this time to really develop this character be - baseball player who won two World Series charactersince 2008 ? tween Star Wars : The Clone Wars and Star titles — one with the Anaheim Angels in Actually , I was cast in 2006 and we recorded Wars Rebels . 2002 and one with the St . Louis Cardinals the show for two years before it ever came in 2006 , where he was also the World Series out . It actually premiered in movie theaters Howmuch of yourself is in this MVP . His story is incredible as he’s one of with a movie called Star Wars : The Clone character ? the shortest players to ever play major Wars in 2008 and then immediately went In many ways , Ahsoka is me . I feel very for - league baseball . Every step of the way peo - into a television series on Cartoon Network , tunate to have originated this character be - ple told him that he would never make it because this was before Disney bought cause I was cast to just be myself . Originally , but he never gave up and defied the odds . StarWars . But Ahsoka Tano made her world - they wanted Ahsoka to have an Icelandic He was an amazing baseball player but he wide debut in 2008 . I’ve been this character accent and I did a pretty terrible Icelandic makes an even better husband and I am for 16 years and it’s been absolutely in - accent in the audition , but they saw me very fortunate that he is my best friend credible . She has changed my life . just being myself in between the takes and and we do everything together . felt like I epitomized what they wanted for Tell us about the character . the character . When I was cast , to be honest , Did the two of you meet in Florida ? From a story perspective , Ahsoka Tano I was kind of shocked and asked how I got Oddly enough , we actually met in California . was a padawan of Anakin Skywalker , who the part . They said , “ Well , we don’t want We met when David was playing for the eventually became Darth Vader . For those you to do the Icelandic accent but we cast Anaheim Angels and essentially , we were who aren’t familiar with Star Wars termi - you for you — we just want you to be your - set up by mutual friends . However , in a nology , a padawan is a student . So , Ahsoka self . ” I feel very lucky that I have been able Hollywood twist , my publicist reached out trained under Anakin during the Clone to bring my own heart and soul and per - n to the Angels , at the recommendation of Wars and she went on to become one of sonality to this character . SOUTH JERSEY MAGAZINE volume 19 issue 6 SouthJerseyMagazine.com | 55