Star Wars actor Kelly Marie Tran opened up about her reduced screen time in The Rise of Skywalker.
MTV News' Josh Horowitz spoke with Tran at the 2020 Oscars to discuss her character Rose Tico's limited role in Episode IX and the reaction from fans. "[The Last Jedi] was my first movie, you know?" she said. "So, I think I’m finally starting to realize that when you’re in something of that caliber, there’s so many people working to make something out of love. And no matter what you do there’s always going to be be people that aren’t happy with that. But, I think the best lesson I’ve learned, is just to have fun and be present in the moment. So, um, I’m really grateful that I got to be a part of it."
Tran played a central role in The Last Jedi, helping John Boyega's Finn in a failed mission to stop the First Order from chasing survivors of the Resistance. In The Rise of Skywalker, however, her screen time and role are drastically reduced, and the character only appears on screen for just over one minute.
"I mean, I think that I’m really just amazed at the way that J. J. was able to sort of wrap up all these incredible stories," Tran added. "There were so many characters. You know, and at the end of the day I got to be part of something bigger than me, and that’s really special."
Directed and co-written by J.J. Abrams, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker stars Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong' o, Domhnall Gleeson, Kelly Marie Tran, Joonas Suotamo, Billie Lourd, Keri Russell, Anthony Daniels, Mark Hamill, Billy Dee Williams, and Carrie Fisher, with Naomi Ackie and Richard E. Grant. The film is now in theaters.