The Wild Way Star Wars Actors Are Transported Around Set

Kelly Marie Tran and John Boyega

Perhaps the only production on the planet more secretive than Game of Thrones is Star Wars. Star Wars remains one of the most popular properties right now, and there are more than a few secrets fans hope to uncover about Star Wars: The Last Jedi. Cell phone cameras, telephoto lenses and drones have made secrecy especially difficult when the filming location isn't a closed set. As a result, productions on blockbuster sets like Star Wars have had to become increasingly savvy with how they prevent secrets from getting out prior to audiences seeing the film. Kelly Marie Tran, a newcomer to the franchise who will play Rose Tico in Star Wars: The Last Jedi, spoke about how for the actors, even getting around the set is a covert affair. She explained:

Everyone is in these tinted window cars, transported from one part of the set to another. And you're wearing these like black robes. They're like secrecy robes, so no one can tell who you are. It's insane the amount of security there is.

How clandestine. But in this day and age where everyone has a camera, you can never be too careful. The insane amount of security Kelly Marie Tran described in Sci Fi Now Magazine, Issue 139, sounds like a wise decision on Lucasfilm's part. While speculation is fun, most people do not want the movie spoiled for them by some grainy set photo. It might not seem like it, but there are all kinds of information that can be gleaned from actors being transported around set. If Mark Hamill is seen hopping in a car with Adam Driver, one could surmise that they might have a scene together. The black robes are also a smart play. With all the debate about who will go dark and flip-flop (it's happened before) in that galaxy far far away, a simple costume could give something away. Heck, a spy photo of Daisy Ridley in a black robe might elicit cries of 'Rey goes dark! She's a Sith!!!', when in fact she is merely moving around the set in a stealthy fashion.

This isn't the first nugget Kelly Marie Tran has revealed about the secrecy involved when working on Star Wars. The actress had to lie to her family about what movie she was working on and where she was filming. It's a small price to pay for instant stardom. This level of secrecy is now the new normal for huge franchises, and honestly is part of the fun. We don't know much yet about Kelly Marie Tran's character in Rian Johnson's Star Wars: The Last Jedi; she wasn't even featured in the recent full trailer. But we do know that Rose Tico is a maintenance worker for The Resistance and that she will be working alongside Finn.

Thanks to the tight lid Lucasfilm kept on the production, the eagerly anticipated film has remained unspoiled (fingers crossed) so far. We won't have to wait long to find out what's in store for Rose, Finn, Rey, Luke, Kylo and everyone else, as Star Wars: The Last Jedi hits theaters on December 15. Pre-order your tickets now.

Nick Evans

Nick grew up in Maryland has degrees in Film Studies and Communications. His life goal is to walk the earth, meet people and get into adventures. He’s also still looking for The Adventures of Pete and Pete season 3 on DVD if anyone has a lead.