What you need to know about new Star Wars VII cast member Christina Chong

The hotly-anticipated film, which is due for release in December 2015, will see original cast members Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher and Harrison Ford reunite in a galaxy far, far away. While other big-name stars such as Andy Serkis (Lord of the Rings, Planet of the Apes) and Domhnall Gleeson (Harry Potter, About Time) join the ranks.

The actress herself hasn't spoken about the news, although she did tweet her excitement at pictures of the first day of filming.

But what do we need to know about the latest name on the cast list?

Christina Chong, an actress from Enfield, North London, most recently starred as Mariana, a member of the CIA, in the 2014 series of 24: Live Another Day. Chong is seen as part of the team working in the so-called bullpen, to seek out a high-profile suspect.

Chong has also acquired the lead role in Halo: Nightfall and has just finished shooting for feature film Stuck, playing the part of Karen alongside actors Patrick Stewart and Gary Cole.

In recent years, Chong’s acting career has predominately been on television. One of her most notable roles was Lorna Bucket in the 2011 series of Doctor Who. In “A Good Man Goes to War,” the seventh episode of series six, Chong plays a Gamma Forest soldier who is an old friend of the Doctor.

From 2011-2012, Chong portrayed Sarah Witney in medical drama Monroe. Successive television appearances include Tamsin in Channel 4’s satirical The Black Mirror (2013), May Wu in comedy thriller The Wrong Mans (2013), and Detective Sergeant Nicola Rogerson in police drama Line of Duty (2014).

Despite her successful television credits, Chong’s acting career originally took off in film. Her most famous roles include Barbara in Johnny English Reborn (2011) and Yoshimi in Freakdog (2008). Other cinematic appearances include Madonna’s W.E. (2011), Legacy: Black Ops (2010), and Chemical Wedding (2008).

Chong’s performance ambitions began at an early age. She reignited her young passion for dance by studying at the Sutcliffe School of Dance and Italia Conto Academy of Theatrical Arts. At 19, she performed in Elton John and Tim Rice’s musical Aida in Germany, until injuries caused her to only pursue acting. Chong then trained at the Lee Strasberg Film and Theatre Institute in New York. Upon returning to London, Chong dabbled in commercials and small parts until her landing of a role in horror feature Freakdog, which ultimately preceded her commercial breakthrough in W.E.

Star Wars Episode VII is due for release in 2015