When it was announced that there would be aLast Jedipanel atStar Wars Celebrationthis year, the only confirmed panelists at the time were directorRian Johnsonand producer/LucasFilm PresidentKathleen Kennedy. Naturally, most fans knew there would be many more surprise guests who would be showing up during this hour-long panel, withMark Hamill(Luke Skywalker),Daisy Ridley(Rey) andJohn Boyega(Finn) also stopping by. While many fans were expecting those beloved actors to show up, fans were also introduced to one of the newcomers to theStar Warsuniverse, with actressKelly Marie Tranmaking herStar WarsCelebration debut, unveiling the first look at her character, Rose.
One of the countless rumors to surfaced before, during and after production onStar Wars: The Last Jedirevealed thatKelly Marie Tranplays a character named Rose, who was said to be accompanying Finn on a secret mission to infiltrate a massive Star Destroyer. While we didn’t learn much about the actual story during theStar Wars: The Last Jedipanel, it was confirmed that her character’s name is Rose, with fans getting a first look at the character, which you can see below. Here’s what the actress had to say about her character.
“My character’s name is Rose. She’s part of the Resistance, and she works in maintenance, and I can’t wait for you to meet her.”
There have been rumors that Rose spends most of the movie with Finn on his undercover mission, but how she becomes a part of this mission is unclear. There has also been talk that Finn must wear a First Order officer’s uniform, when he is discovered by a Stormtrooper played byTom Hardy, who congratulates him on his promotion to a covert spy, thanks to some propaganda planted within the First Order. Instead of revealing that Finn defected to the Resistance, First Order members were told that he’s now spying on them. Part of this mission reportedly involves acasino planet, but while no details about the actual mission were revealed,Rian Johnsonshed some light on the qualities that Rose embodies as a character.
“She’s pretty rad. Rose is a maintenance worker in the Resistance, and, for me, growing up as a kid in Colorado watching these movies, just watching Luke Skywalker kind of get pulled out, and I think that’s why people respond to Rey also, get pulled out of wherever he is and be this unlikely hero. The notion that anyone out there, any of us, can step up and turn into a hero, that’s really where the character of Rose comes from. She’s not a soldier, she’s not looking to be a hero, and she gets pulled in a very big way to an adventure in this movie, with Finn.Kellyjust embodies that for me.”
WhenLucasFilmcastKelly Marie Tran, it was said that she would have a pivotal role, withJohn Boyegaeven teasing that the actress has alead rolein the film. WhileKelly Marie Tranisn’t exactly a newcomer when it comes to acting, having appeared in the filmXOXOand episodes ofCollegeHumor Originals,About a BoyandGortimer Gibbon’s Life on Normal Street, she wasn’t exactly a household name, but that may change afterThe Last Jedihits theaters this December. The actress also revealed that she had to keep her casting a secret from her family, for an extended period of time.
“They didn’t know for four months after. I told them I was doing an indie movie in Canada. At one point, I actually got some maple syrup, so I could bring back to them, so they thought I was really in Canada. I was like, I’m committing to this.”
Unfortunately,Kelly Marie Tran’s character wasn’t shown in the newStar Wars 8 trailerthat was also unveiled at today’s panel, but now that her character has been officially unveiled, hopefully we’ll learn more about her soon. If what directorRian Johnsonsaid at the panel is true, then it seemsStar Warsfans will have another unlikely hero to embrace inKelly Marie Tran’s rose afterStar Wars: The Last Jedihits theaters on December 15. Take a look at the first photo ofKelly Marie Tran’s rose fromStar Wars: The Last Jedi.
