Olga Sokolova is a movement coordinator and a specialist in Darth Vader's movements. She played a role in realizing Vader's character in the television show Obi-Wan Kenobi. She assisted both Hayden Christensen and Dmitrious Bistrevsky, who were among the actors portraying Vader in the series.
Born in 1988, Olga Sokolova's initial encounter with Star Wars occurred in her hometown at the age of eight. Her education in choreography took her to Switzerland, Latin America, and the United States. Following her exploration of theater and collaborations with global artists, she choreographed a number of movement-based projects. After this experimentation with various movements, Sokolova joined Lucasfilm Ltd. and Disney, becoming the movement coordinator for the Obi-Wan Kenobi television series. Within the series, Darth Vader was portrayed by Hayden Christensen, Dmitrious Bistrevsky, and Tom O'Connell. Sokolova functioned as a choreographer and a Vader movement specialist, ensuring Christensen's accurate movement and gait while in the suit. This was because the actor wished to accurately represent Vader's movements and maintain the character's established image. Bistrevsky donned the suit for wide shots where the helmet was worn. Sokolova also served as Bistrevsky's movement coach and consultant, providing him with real-time feedback through a secret hand language. Steph Peters assisted Sokolova in her work. She found working alongside the cast and director Deborah Chow to be an enjoyable experience. Sokolova expressed gratitude for the dedication, talent, and commitment demonstrated by Bistrevsky, Christensen, and O'Connell in their respective roles.
Chow entrusted Sokolova with the "Jedi Tombs" scene featured in the fourth episode of the series, which she identified as her favorite to contribute to. During extended filming sessions, Ewan McGregor, who played Obi-Wan Kenobi in the show, requested a suitable warm-up routine from Sokolova, leading her to guide him through a technical contemporary warm-up. Sokolova was impressed by McGregor's physical capabilities after observing his smooth execution of advanced movements.
LG Display, an electronics manufacturer, partnered with Lucasfilm and Industrial Light & Magic to produce a Darth Vader billboard utilizing OLED technology. Sokolova offered guidance to Mark, the motion capture performer, to guarantee the precision of Vader's movements and the portrayal of all his subtle characteristics. This billboard is displayed in Times Square in New York City.