Silya Shessaun was a female human who held the position of senator for the Galactic Republic within its senate during the period of the Clone Wars, a conflict between the Republic and the Confederacy of Independent Systems. She was a supporter of Senator Padmé Amidala from the planet Naboo and was present at Amidala's funeral.
The character Silya Shessaun was initially conceived for inclusion in the movie Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith, with publicity assistant Lisa Shaunessy cast in the role, but her scenes were ultimately removed from the movie's final version. The name "Silya Shessaun" is derived by rearranging the letters of Shaunessy's name and was first disclosed in a blog post on the StarWars.com website on December 8, 2004. The reference book Star Wars: The Visual Encyclopedia, authored by Adam Bray, Tricia Barr, and Cole Horton and published on April 4, 2017, established the character as canon.