In a frank interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Kelly Marie Tran admitted that she’s unlikely to use social media ever again due to the online harassment and racist comments she received during (and indeed after) The Last Jedi.
Tran, who was introduced to the Star Wars saga as Resistance mechanic Rose Tico, deleted all forms of social media in the summer, at which point she revealed the torrent of abuse she had received from a bunch of spiteful trolls for nearly six months.
That incessant harassment took many different forms, including sexist and racist comments about Rose Tico and her overall involvement in Star Wars: The Last Jedi. Criticism of Tico’s character arc is one thing, but not when it involves targeting the actress and bombarding her with vile and despicable comments. It’s no wonder Kelly Marie Tran felt the need to walk away from social media, and at least for now, the actress is in no hurry to return – not now, and perhaps not ever.
I think that there are, just like anything else, really good and really bad things that come with anything. I felt like I wanted to write something that was honest, that truly came from me, and I don’t know if I’ll ever go back.
Star Wars: The Last Jedi was widely considered to be Tran’s big break, too, so it’s fair to say that the actress was thrown into the deep end when it comes to online fandom and the toxicity it can bring.
That’s not to say that every Star Wars fan is a racist and/or sexist troll; merely that the vocal minority responsible for Tran’s social media exodus really need to take a long hard look at themselves in the mirror. And make no mistake, Rose Tico will be returning for Episode IX next Christmas.
