Is there a character in the entire history of “Star Wars” that is as polarizing as Rose Tico? Played by Kelly Marie Tran, Rose was one of the most debated additions to Rian Johnson’s ‘The Last Jedi,’ and due to her lack of screentime (and what that might be attributed to), she’s been one of the most discussed parts of the recently released ‘The Rise of Skywalker.’ But overall, the character of Rose seems to be one of the aspects of the Sequel Trilogy that fans can’t seem to agree on, specifically when it comes to what many consider the weakest element of the new films — the infamous Canto Bight story.
Speaking to THR, Tran opens up about that storyline and why she thinks its so important, as well as hinting at some of the scenes that she shot in ‘Rise’ that were left on the cutting room floor.
In the interview, Tran was asked about the subtext of the Canto Bight scene, where viewers are shown some of the ugly sides of war that haven’t previously been shown in “Star Wars,” and whether or not that resonated with her during filming. Not only did she agree, but she also took the time out to compliment ‘The Last Jedi’ director, Rian Johnson.
“Yes, absolutely,” she explained. “For me, that whole moment of really seeing the people who are profiting off of other people’s suffering and oppression is really relevant in the world today. Like you said, it hadn’t really been addressed, and I think it’s a really beautiful moment. Rian Johnson is a genius.”
And while she doesn’t talk about her lack of screentime in the newest film, Tran did hint at some of the stuff that didn’t make the final cut of ‘Rise of Skywalker,’ including more footage from the huge battle Rose took part of during the final act.
“It was insane to be running across this platform — which I know you only see for a second in the movie — but we shot it so many times,” Tran said. “I remember having bruises on my knees the next day because we kept running, and then we would fall onto our knees and do some more shooting stuff. I don’t think that’s in the movie. It was definitely organized chaos as stormtroopers were flying, people were on horses…. It was pretty insane.”
“Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” is in theaters now.
