Star Wars actress Ivanna Sakhno a hit with fans at Palmygeddon

A cosplayer brings the force as Kylo Ren at the Palmerston North Armageddon Expo at the weekend.

A real-life Star Wars actor proved a hit with fans at the Armegeddon Expo “Palymegeddon” in Palmerston North at the weekend.

While many of the 10,000 people that attended could meander around unrecognised in their cosplay masks, there was no mistaking actress Ukrainian-born actress Ivanna Sakhno.

She was instantly recognisable to fans through her role as Shin Hati in the hit Star Wars series Ahsoka.

Event founder and organiser Bill Geradts said it was a coup to have Sakhno there as a celebrity guest and she took time to chat with fans.

Ivanna Sakhno (centre) was a celebrity guest at the Palmygeddon Expo at the weekend, pictured at the Outpost 42 Garrison.

Sakhno posed for a photo with other expo-goers in their cosplay, grabbing hold of a lightsaber for effect.

“She was lovely. An absolute delight,” he said.

Saknho, 26, was in New Zealand filming M3GAN 2.0, which also stars New Zealand actor Jemaine Clement, and is set for release in May next year.

Cosplayers pose in front of the main stage at the Palmerston North Armageddon Expo.

It didn’t take too much string-pulling to have her come along. Geradts said it was always good to bring some star appeal.

Also greeting fans at the expo were US animation voice actors Austin Tindle (Tokyo Ghoul, Attack on Titan, My Hero Academia, Dragon Ball Z) and Faye Mata (KonoSuba, Fate/Apocrypha, JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, Hazbin Hotel).

It was the fourth staging of Palmygeddon and Geradts said he was already planning next year’s event.

“Every show is different... [we are] always keen to make changes and tweaks,” he said.

Families jam some Mario Kart in the Nintendo Chill Zone at Palmygeddon.

Other attractions at Palmygeddon included the Guitar Hero area and racing simulator tournaments and other gaming areas and games. The Capital Pro Wrestling stunts were awesome to watch live.

Geradts said more than 100 exhibitors at the show had stalls selling art, toys, collectables and comics.

Sakhno rose to prominence in films such as Pacific Rim: Uprising, and The Spy Who Dumped Me.

She had been an outspoken advocate for her homeland of Ukraine and serves as an Ambassador of United 24, the official fundraising platform launched by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Plot details of M3GAN 2.0 are unknown, but the original film revolves around a life-like AI doll that is programmed to be a child’s greatest companion and a parent’s greatest ally.