Another Star Wars actor is coming down on the fans as Kelly Marie Tran spoke out about her experiences in the aftermath of the Disney sequel trilogy.
More than five years after her final appearance in the Star Wars sequel trilogy, Rose Tico actress Kelly Marie Tran has publicly lashed out at the franchise’s fandom, saying she felt “persecuted” during her time in the spotlight. Tran’s comments come during the promotional tour for her latest film, The Wedding Banquet, and echo similar remarks made recently by her Star Wars co-star John Boyega.
Kelly Marie Tran as Rose Tico in Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi – Disney+
Tran portrayed Resistance mechanic Rose Tico in 2017’s The Last Jedi and reprised the role briefly in 2019’s The Rise of Skywalker. Following the release of The Last Jedi, Tran faced widespread online criticism from fans who were divided over the film’s story direction and character development. Rose Tico became a particularly controversial figure, with some viewers feeling the character’s subplot detracted from the overall narrative.
In a new interview with Entertainment Weekly, Tran addressed the backlash, stating, “I was already being ridiculed. There were comments about my race or comments about me being a woman. I already felt like I was being persecuted for those things.” She added that the experience led her to seek out therapy and join support groups to cope with the reaction to her role.
John Boyega as Finn in Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens – Disney+
Tran’s remarks are part of a broader wave of criticism aimed at fans from some of the sequel trilogy’s leading actors. John Boyega, who played Finn in those movies, recently made headlines for his own comments in which he described elements of the Star Wars fan community as dismissive or unwelcoming. Boyega previously expressed disappointment with how his character was handled by Disney and Lucasfilm, particularly in The Rise of Skywalker, but has more recently turned his attention toward what he views as unjust treatment from segments of the fandom.
What stands out in both Tran and Boyega’s remarks is the absence of any substantial criticism of the studio behind the films. Despite Disney and Lucasfilm making key decisions that affected the trajectory of their characters—including Rose Tico’s drastically reduced screen time in The Rise of Skywalker—neither actor has addressed the role of the creative leadership or production choices in recent interviews. Instead, the narrative continues to place emphasis on reactions from the public.
Kelly Marie Tran as Rose Tico in Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi – Disney+
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Some fans have noted this pattern, arguing that their criticisms were aimed not at the actors personally but at how their characters were written and utilized. Rose Tico’s storyline, which involved a subplot on the casino planet Canto Bight, was one of the more divisive elements of The Last Jedi, with some calling it unnecessary to the main plot. The discourse around the sequel trilogy has continued to evolve, with fans, critics, and creators alike weighing in on what went wrong.
Tran previously left social media in 2018 following a wave of negative attention, prompting support from her colleagues and Lucasfilm. At the time, the incident was viewed by many in the entertainment industry as emblematic of the challenges actors face when dealing with high-profile roles in large franchises. Lucasfilm even issued an official statement backing Tran.
Her most recent interview builds on that earlier narrative, portraying her experience as one marked by struggle and growth. However, it also revives tensions within the fan community, many of whom continue to feel frustrated by how criticism of the films has been reinterpreted as personal or identity-driven.
Kelly Marie Tran as Rose Tico kisses Finn, played by John Boyega in Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi – Disney+
As Star Wars continues to expand with new stories and characters in both theatrical and streaming formats, the reception of the sequel trilogy remains a point of contention. The comments from Tran and Boyega highlight how the conversation around fandom, creative direction, and public response is far from settled.
Neither Disney nor Lucasfilm has responded to Tran’s latest comments at the time of publication.
How to you feel about Kelly Marie Tran lashing out at Star Wars fans? Sound off in the comments and let us know!
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What I always gathered was people just didn’t care about Tran or Tico. The figures never sold, nobody mentioned the character, and people just never talked about Kelly. So is she upset about her “treatment?” Or because nobody cares about her?
What does one’s race have to do with portraying an uninteresting character in an uninteresting manner?
You tell me; you’re the one who brought it up. I just said nobody talked about her or her character.
Victimhood is all talentless people like her have.
Rather than looking at the obvious reason for why fans dislike something, they always pull the your a ‘racist and sexist’ card. These idiots will never learn, it’s why Hollywood, the gaming industry, and the comic industry are all dying.
Why are they biching? Don’t they have the “modern audience” to comfort them?
Seriously?