Ward, Suotamo, Inosanto Also Join Lineup at Pennsylvania Convention Center
Academy Award winner Marisa Tomei (My Cousin Vinny, The Wrestler) and fan favorites Alan Tudyk (Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, “Firefly”), Danny Trejo (Machete, The Book of Boba Fett), Emily Swallow (“The Mandalorian,” “Supernatural”) and Jeff Ward (“One Piece,” “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.”) are among the additions to the growing celebrity lineup at FAN EXPO Philadelphia, set for May 3-5 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. Joonas Suotamo (Star Wars) and Diana Lee Inosanto (“Ahsoka”) round out the newcomers to the roster.
Marisa Tomei blasted onto the scene with her Academy Award winning performance as “Mona Lisa Vito” opposite Joe Pesci in My Cousin Vinny. After the Best Supporting Actress win, she went on to roles in Chaplin, Untamed Heart and the Paper, later appearing on Broadway before earning two more Oscar nominations, the third for The Wrestler. She also had a recurring role in the hit series “Empire” and appeared as “Aunt May” in three Spider-Man blockbusters.
Alan Tudyk gained fans’ attention when he starred as wise-cracking “Hoban ‘Wash’ Washburne” in “Firefly” and Serenity, and later grabbed the “Star Wars” fandom with his portrayal of “K-2SO” in Rogue One. He also appeared in Wreck it Ralph and 42 and has lent his voice to characters in hits like “American Dad,” “Harley Quinn,” “Transformers: Earthspeak” and “Star vs. the Forces of Evil.”
Danny Trejo has developed a prolific career in the entertainment industry with a hard-earned and atypical road to success. From years of imprisonment to helping troubled youth battle drug addictions, from acting to producing, and now on to restaurant ventures, Trejo’s name, face, and achievements are well recognized in Hollywood and beyond. He has starred in dozens of films including Desperado, Heat, the From Dusk Till Dawn series, Con Air, Once Upon A Time In Mexico, the Spy Kids movies, Machete and many more.
With her portrayal of “The Armorer” in “The Mandalorian” in the hit Netflix series “The Mandalorian,” Emily Swallow added another role to her growing resume. She also appeared as “Kim Fischer,” a regular on “The Mentalist” and as “Amara / The Darkness” in the 11th season of “Supernatural.” She also voiced the role of “Lisa Tepes” in the animated Netflix fantasy action series “Castlevania.”
Jeff Ward played “Deke Shaw” as a regular on “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” from 2017-2020, and most recently appeared in the first season of the Netflix adventure/comedy “One Piece.” Fans will also recognize him from his work in “Brand New Cherry Flavor” and the TV movie Manson’s Lost Girls, where he gave an appropriately creepy performance as the cult leader.
Joonas Suotamo has assumed the mantle of the iconic role of “Chewbacca” in numerous iterations of the Star Wars saga since first appearing as the Wookiee in Episode VII – The Force Awakens in 2015. The Finnish actor also stepped out of the familiar character to appear in four episodes of the Disney series “Willow.”
Diana Lee Inosanto appears as “Morgan Elsbeth” in the Star Wars “Ahsoka” production on Disney+, opposite Rosario Dawson, David Tennant and Mary Elizabeth Winstead. She originated that role in an episode of “Mandalorian” in 2020 after appearing in dozens of movies and shows as a stunt person and a variety of other entertainment jobs.
They join a lineup that already includes headliners Mario Lopez (“Saved by the Bell,” “Access Hollywood”), Sean Gunn (Guardians of the Galaxy, “Gilmore Girls”), Felicia Day (“The Guild,” “Dragon Age: Redemption”), Ben McKenzie (“Gotham,” “The O.C.”), Holly Marie Combs (“Charmed,” “Picket Fences”), Adam Savage (“MythBusters,” “Unchained Reaction”), Michelle Hurd (“Star Trek: Picard,” “Law & Order: SVU”), Sofia Boutella (Rebel Moon, The Mummy) and Jason Lee (“My Name is Earl,” The Incredibles).
Single-Day Tickets, Three-Day Passes, Ultimate Fan and VIP Packages for FAN EXPO Philadelphia are available now. Advance pricing is available until April 18. More guest news will be released in the following weeks, including line-up reveals for additional headline celebrities, comic creator guests, voice actors and cosplayers.
Philadelphia is the eighth event on the 2024 FAN EXPO HQ calendar; the full schedule is available at fanexpohq.com/home/events/.