The Vietnamese actress joins John Boyega and other heroes from The Force Awakens
Kelly Marie Tran will play Rose, a character which has been described as the “biggest new part” in Star Wars: The Last Jedi.
Tran’s character was announced at a panel for the upcoming Star Wars film that follows The Force Awakens. Not much was revealed about her character other than she’s called Rose, she’s a Resistance maintenance worker and she’s the “biggest new part” in the newest iteration.
IGN reports Tran said she had to keep her involvement in the film secret from everyone she knew, including her parents. “I told them I was doing an indie movie in Canada,” she said.
“I just want to do it justice, so thank you everyone for letting me be here,” Tran added.
Entertainment Weekly reports that the reveal took place at a celebration fan gathering in Orlando, Florida, where writer-director Rian Johnson unveiled the character.
“This possibility that any of us could step up and become a hero, that’s where Rose comes from,” Johnson told the crowd, saying Luke Skywalker and Rey were similar in that they were nobodies who became vital parts of the galactic world. “She’s not a soldier, she’s not looking to be a hero. But she gets pulled into a very big adventure with Finn.”
Johnson added that Tran, “embodies that for [him]”.
“My character’s name is Rose. She’s part of the Resistance, and she works in maintenance. I can’t wait for you to meet her,” added Tran.
Tran is best known for her involvement in comedy shorts including CollegeHumor Originals.
Star Wars: The Last Jedi has an initial release date of 15 December 2017.