Everyone knows that Star Wars fans are a particularly tough crowd to please, especially during the opening weekend of a new film in the franchise. Personally, I haven't been able to escape Star Wars talk since last Thursday, and I know for a fact that I'm not the only one.
I submit for your approval the experience of one Kelly Marie Tran, who stars as the mechanic, Rose Tico , in Rian Johnson's STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI. On Monday, while sharing a slice of pie with a friend, Tran overheard a group of strangers talking about the latest chapter in the Star Wars saga. Unable to resist the urge to listen in, Tran began creeping in on the comments being passed around the nearby table. As her eyes grew wide with mischief, her friend busted out a camera and captured the experience using Tran's Instagram account.
You can watch the video for yourself below:
And because it can often be difficult to read Instagram's condensed text format, here's the comment Kelly posted along with the video:
"A few days ago, I was at a pub eating pie with a friend, when this DELIGHTFUL group of people came in. They sat down at the table next to me and started discussing The Last Jedi — in minute detail. My friend started filming as I listened, and she captured my reaction as they discussed Rose. After lots of creepy listening — and eating – I awkwardly walked over to introduce myself. They couldn’t be more lovely. What an incredible moment in a string of incredible moments I’ve been experiencing lately.
In my 8 years as a struggling actor, I came to the realization that the hardest thing to obtain from another human being is their genuine interest. Sometimes, getting someone to listen to your story — your idea — is really hard. It’s pretty impossible for a movie to get made, and there are many stories that don’t make it into a book or a film or a television show.
I know how lucky I am to be a part of something that people love, to be able to act and tell stories at all. And one of my greatest joys has been creepily listening to conversations about TLJ when I’m out and about. Regardless of opinion or preference, it’s still a topic of discussion. And no matter who we are, no matter where we’re from, if we can really listen and have a conversation about something — anything — it can really open up a door. It can open us up to new ideas and new understanding.
So thanks, wonderful people, for watching and dissecting and discussing. It makes me happy to know that we made something that’s starting a dialogue. My heart is so full, and my goals are so clear. Let’s tell more stories. Let’s have more conversations. Let’s get to know lives and worlds different from our own. And most of all — let’s open our hearts and accept our differences. More love, less hate. Also, more pies, because THEY ARE AMAZING. PS @catmahoney87 — thanks for not thinking it was creepy when I went through my insta tags to find this photo so I could write about this moment."
Isn't she lovely? I personally have nothing short of super-positive things about both Tran's character Rose and The Last Jedi film. For me, Rose was very much the warm, emotional center of the latest chapter, easily securing her place as my favorite new character to be introduced to the series. It's nice to know that Tran can take criticism (for good or ill) in stride, and looks to be learning quite a lot from her uniwue Star Wars experience. Given the events of the new film, I'll be anxious to see how her character evolves, and how she'll be of further assistance to the rebel alliance.
STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI starrin Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscaar Issac, Andy Serkis, Lupita Nyong'o, Domhnall Gleeson, Anthony Daniels, Laura Dern, Benicio Del Toro, Frank Oz, Gwendoline Christie, and Kelly Marie Tran is in theaters now!