Why Felicity Jones didn’t want her character running around in a tank top in “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story”
If you are a die hard Star Wars fan then it is no surprise that you are counting down the day until Rogue One: A Star Wars Story comes out. We didn’t need another reason to go see this movie, but after hearing why Felicity Jones didn’t want her character running around in a tank top, we are so excited to see her play the strong, independent lead, Jyn Erso who is not here for your gaze!
Hollywood has a history of making female characters into damsels in distress. Not all movies are like this, but when we finally do see a strong female lead, it is a surprise that she has all of this strength within her. Or her strength is often at the expense of those around her. So we are definitely looking forward to the upcoming Star Wars standalone film, Rogue One. In this movie Felicity Jones’ Jyn Erso is a strong woman, that doesn’t need saving.
“The idea was that it shouldn’t be a joke, says Jones when she and costar Diego Luna stopped by SiriusXM for an Rogue One Town Hall that will air on Entertainment Weekly Radio (Channel 105) next week. “It shouldn’t be like ‘Oh, now she’s being strong’ and we will have to suddenly see that as a surprise.
“It’s literally down to the costume. I didn’t want her to be kind of running around in a tank top, a sleeveless top. It should be just that she’s focused on what she has to be doing. She has a very particular task ahead of her and that’s where the focus is. We’re not objectifying her. We’re not looking at her body.
“You relate to her, I hope, as a person, as a character that you care about,” says Jones. “And that’s at the forefront of your mind when you’re watching the film. And I think for all the characters, it is an ensemble film in the sense that you connect with each one of them and have empathy for each one of them in a different way. They all have their own story.” [/quote]
To watch Jones and Luna discuss more about the diversity and roles of women in Star Wars, check out the video on Entertainment Weekly. If you would like to see the full SiriusXM Rogue One Town Hall on Entertainment Weekly Radio (Channel 105) check it out on December. 15 at 6 p.m. ET.
