Actress Kelly Marie Tran seems to understand why her Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker character, Rose, got so little screen time in that film. Rose was first introduced in Star Wars: The Last Jedi, but her character became so unpopular with certain fans after that movie released that Tran received overwhelming harassment on social media. This led to Tran eventually deleting her Instagram account. Although an anti-Disney group initially took responsibility for the harassment, the hatred launched at Tran online continued to grow.
Tran appeared in The Rise of Skywalker, although many fans noted the movie seemed to have sidelined the character due to the small amount of screen time she received. Some fans thought this was due to The Last Jedi backlash although, it seems the issue could have had more to do with Tran's co-star, Carrie Fisher, who portrayed General Leia. Fisher passed away before production began on The Rise of Skywalker and her scenes were the result of piecing together previously unseen footage from her work in The Force Awakens. Because most of Rose's scenes were with Leia, this could have limited Tran's onscreen time.
Whatever the reason, though, Tran seems fine with how Rose appeared in The Rise of Skywalker. In a video by MTV News, Tran explained that she felt good about how her character's journey ended and reiterated she thought director J.J. Abrams did a great job of connecting and ending the various storylines of the Skywalker saga. Here's the video:
Despite how little screen time Tran got in The Rise of Skywalker, those who worked with her only offer their praise and support. Chewbacca actor Joonas Suotamo praised her work in both films and referred to the standing ovation the actress received at the 2019 Star Wars Celebration in Chicago as one of the best moments of the year. The Last Jedi director Rian Johnson also showed his support for Tran by posting a photo of her on social media just after The Rise of Skywalker hit theaters.
Rose only appeared in 76 seconds of The Rise of Skywalker, but it does seem like there was at least one scene that was supposed to have more of the character: the Battle of Exegol. However, it appears much of Rose's appearance in that scene was cut. Fans can only hope they get a chance to see the extended scene with more Rose once The Rise of Skywalker releases on DVD and Blu-ray. But for her part, Tran remains positive about her time in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker and the franchise as a whole.
Source: MTV News