Kelly Marie Tran
Kelly Marie Tran (born Trần Loan; January 17, 1989) is an American actress.[1][2][3] She began acting in 2011, with most of her roles being in short film and television. She came to global prominence for her role as Rose Tico in the 2017 film Star Wars: The Last Jedi and the 2019 film Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.[4]
Kelly Marie Tran | |
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Tran in 2017 | |
Born | Kelly Marie Tran January 17, 1989 San Diego, California, U.S. |
Alma mater | University of California, Los Angeles (B.A.) |
Occupation | Actress |
Years active | 2011–present |
Early life
Tran was born on January 17, 1989 in San Diego, California.[5][6] Her parents were refugees from Vietnam who fled the country following the Vietnam War.[7][8] As a child, her father was homeless and grew up on the streets of Vietnam.[9] After moving to the United States, he worked at Burger King to support the family, and Tran's mother worked at a funeral home.[10]
Tran attended Westview High School in San Diego and worked at a yogurt shop to earn money for head shots.[6][9] Tran then graduated from University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) with a B.A. in communications.[10][11]
Career
2011–2014: Early work
Her early credits consisted of primarily CollegeHumor videos and small TV roles.[9][12] She landed a commercial agent in 2011, who got Tran to take improv classes at the Upright Citizens Brigade. At The Second City, Tran is part of the all-female, Asian-American improv group, Number One Son.[9][13]
In 2013, she starred in the web-series Ladies Like Us.[11] In 2015, Tran was working as an assistant at a creative recruiting firm in Century City.[9]
2015–2019: Star Wars
In 2015, Tran was cast as Rose Tico in Star Wars: The Last Jedi. Rose Tico is a rebel mechanic who joins up with main character Finn after the sacrifice of her oldest sister, Paige Tico (Veronica Ngo), a gunner trained by Resistance commander Poe Dameron.[14] When she went to film her scenes at Pinewood Studios in early 2016, she said she was filming a small movie in Canada.[15] With her role in The Last Jedi, Tran became the first Asian-American woman to play a main role in a Star Wars film.[12] In 2017, she also became the first Asian woman to appear on the cover of Vanity Fair when she appeared on the cover of the summer 2017 issue with actor John Boyega (who played Finn), and Oscar Isaac (who played X-Wing fighter pilot Poe Dameron).[16]
Tran plays the lead role of Kaitlin Le in Radiotopia's mystery thriller podcast, Passenger List.[17] She was a series regular on the Facebook Watch series Sorry for Your Loss.[18]
2020–present
Tran will play Val Little in the upcoming Disney+ series Monsters at Work. She has also been cast as Dawn in the film The Croods 2.[19][20]
Personal life
Harassment and attacks
Despite the critical and commercial success of The Last Jedi, Tran received online attacks, many racist, from people who disliked the character of Rose Tico.[21][22] In response, several prominent figures in entertainment spoke out publicly against Tran's attackers, including the film's director Rian Johnson,[23] and co-stars John Boyega[24] and Mark Hamill.[25][26] Employment discrimination attorney Anthony Nguyen praised Tran for being "the first woman of color to be cast in a leading role in the Star Wars franchise". Condemning the racist attacks, Nguyen remarked that "people of color, especially Asian-Americans, are grossly underrepresented in TV and film."[27] In addition, freelance writer and journalist Nicole Karlis opined that attacks on Tran's race and appearance reflected a fear of women who broke sexist stereotypes.[28] In June 2018, more than 6 months after the film's release, Tran deleted all of her posts on Instagram after months of harassment.[29]
In August 2018, after a prolonged stretch of silence about her harassment, Tran published a first person account in the New York Times addressing the issue.[1] Tran stated that she had become self-conscious and for a time believed what her harassers were saying.[30]
Filmography
Film
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2011 | Untouchable | Jamie | Short film |
2011 | The Rising Cost of Cosmetics | Chun Hei Park | Short film |
2011 | Impressions | Alice | Short film |
2011 | Hot Girls on the Beach | Boba Chick / Student | Segment: "Great White Shark Movie" |
2012 | The Cohasset Snuff Film | Christine Chan | Uncredited |
2013 | Andy's CDs | Kelly | Short film |
2016 | XOXO | Butterfly Rave Girl | |
2017 | Star Wars: The Last Jedi | Rose Tico | |
2019 | Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker | Rose Tico | |
2020 | The Croods 2 | Dawn Betterman (voice) | In production |
Television
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2011 | This Indie Girl | Hero Girl | Episode: "Just the Way It Is" |
2012 | Fabulous High | Sierra Mar Student #4 | Television film |
2013–2015 | Ladies Like Us | Kelly/Larry | Television series |
2014–2016 | CollegeHumor | Full Asian / Kate / Kelly / Startup "Foodler" Girl / Melissa / Amber | Web Series |
2014–2016 | Gortimer Gibbon's Life on Normal Street | Sara | 3 episodes |
2014 | To the Bridge | Lydia | Pilot episode |
2014 | About a Boy | Marguerite | 2 episodes |
2014 | Hope & Randy | Tina | Mini-series |
2014 | Currently Cool | Jenny | Episode: "Baby Daddy Daddy Daddy" |
2015 | Comedy Bang! Bang! | Teen Friend | Episode: "Thomas Middleditch Wears an Enigmatic Sweatshirt and Sweatpants with Pockets" |
2015 | Ladies Like Us: The Rise of Neighborhood Watch | Larry | 2 episodes |
2015 | Adam Ruins Everything | Sharon / Phone Woman | 2 episodes |
2015 | Discount Fitness | Betsy | Episode: "Goal Met" |
2016 | Pub Quiz | Asia | Television film |
2016 | History of the World...For Now | Daughter | Episode #1.4 |
2016 | Fall Into Me | Eva | Episode: "British Billionaire" |
2016 | Sing It! | Twinkle Twinkle Auditioner | Episode: "THE SHOW BEGINS!" |
2018 | Star Wars Forces of Destiny | Rose Tico (voice) | Episode: "Shuttle Shock" |
2018–2019 | Sorry for Your Loss | Jules Shaw | 18 episodes |
2021 | Monsters at Work | Val Little (voice) |
Podcasts
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2019–present | Passenger List | Kaitlin Le | Lead role |
Awards and nominations
Year | Award | Category | Nominated work | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
2018 | 23rd Empire Awards | Best Female Newcomer | Nominated | |
44th Saturn Awards | Best Supporting Actress | Nominated | ||
20th Teen Choice Awards | Choice Breakout Movie Star | Nominated | ||
References
- Tran, Kelly Marie (August 21, 2018). "Kelly Marie Tran: I Won't Be Marginalized by Online Harassment". The New York Times.
- "Nữ diễn viên Kelly Marie Trần đến Việt Nam ra mắt bom tấn Star Wars". VietNamNet.vn. November 13, 2017.
- Yam, Kimberly (November 12, 2017). "Kelly Marie Tran Wore Gown From Vietnamese Designer To 'The Last Jedi' Premiere". HuffPost.
- Yee, Lawrence (April 14, 2017). "Meet Rose, the 'Biggest New Part' in 'Star Wars: The Last Jedi'". Variety.
- "Happy birthday". Journal Gazette. Associated Press. January 17, 2019. Retrieved December 30, 2019.
- Rocha, Michael James (February 15, 2016). "San Diego native joins 'Star Wars: The Last Jedi' cast". San Diego Union-Tribune.
- Yam, Kimberly (November 30, 2017). "Kelly Marie Tran Promotes 'The Last Jedi' In Traditional Vietnamese Garb". HuffPost.
- Jasper, Marykate (December 10, 2017). "Kelly Marie Tran, the Daughter of Refugees, Couldn't Help Crying with Joy at the Last Jedi Premiere". The Mary Sue.
- Flaherty, Keely (November 14, 2017). "Kelly Marie Tran: The Rise of Rose". Buzzfeed News.
- Plattner, Seth (December 10, 2017). "Kelly Marie Tran Is Bringing a New Brand of Hero to Star Wars". Elle.
- Dornbush, Jonathon (February 15, 2016). "Who is Star Wars: Episode VIII actress Kelly Marie Tran?". Entertainment Weekly.
- Hiatt, Brian (December 12, 2017). "'The Last Jedi's New Hope: Meet 'Star Wars' Breakout Kelly Marie Tran". Rolling Stone.
- "Power of Color". The Second City. Retrieved February 20, 2020.
- Kamp, David (March 24, 2017). "Cover Story: Star Wars: The Last Jedi, the Definitive Preview". Vanity Fair.
- Yee, Lawrence (April 14, 2017). "Meet Rose, the 'Biggest New Part' in 'Star Wars: The Last Jedi'". Variety.
- Truffaut-Wong, Olivia (May 24, 2017). "'The Last Jedi' Star Kelly Marie Tran Is The First Asian Woman To Cover 'Vanity Fair' & Her Appearance Couldn't Matter More". Bustle.
- Quah, Nicholas (September 10, 2019). "Plane-Crash Podcast Passenger List Podcast Is Ready for Takeoff". Vulture.
- "Exclusive: Elizabeth Olsen, Kelly Marie Tran grapple with love and death in 'Sorry for Your Loss' photos". EW.com. Retrieved February 20, 2020.
- "Kelly Marie Tran Joins Voice Cast of 'Croods' Sequel (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved February 20, 2020.
- "'Monsters, Inc.' Voice Cast to Return for Disney+ Series (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved February 20, 2020.
- Menta, Anna (December 19, 2017). "Racist Attacks Against Kelly Marie Tran posted to Rose Tico's Wookieepedia page". Newsweek. Retrieved January 4, 2018.
- Moye, David (December 27, 2017). "Kelly Marie Tran Of 'Last Jedi' Facing Racist, Sexist Comments Online". HuffPost. Retrieved January 4, 2018.
- Chuba, Kirsten (June 5, 2018). "'Star Wars' Actress Kelly Marie Tran Leaves Social Media After Months of Harassment". Variety. Retrieved June 6, 2018.
- Lam, Katherine (June 13, 2018). "John Boyega slams 'Star Wars' fans for harassing costars". Fox News. Retrieved April 19, 2019.
- Clark, Travis (June 7, 2018). "Mark Hamill defends Kelly Marie Tran after online harassment and calls out 'Star Wars' fans". Business Insider. Retrieved April 19, 2019.
- Cavanaugh, Patrick (July 11, 2018). "Star Wars: Mark Hamill Shares Support for 'The Last Jedi' Co-Star Kelly Marie Tran After Social Media Deletion". Comicbook.com. Retrieved April 19, 2019.
- "Attorney Anthony Nguyen Comments on the Racist Backlash Against Vietnamese-American Actress Kelly Marie Tran". Cision. Retrieved January 4, 2018.
- Karlis, Nicole (December 29, 2017). "Threats against Kelly Marie Tran highlight a fear of women who break sexist stereotypes". Salon. Retrieved January 4, 2018.
- Arnold, Ben (June 6, 2018). "Rian Johnson slams Star Wars trolls after Kelly Marie Tran quits social media". Yahoo! News. Verizon Media. Retrieved April 19, 2019.
- Geier, Thom (August 21, 2018). "'Star Wars' Actress Kelly Marie Tran on How Racist Trolls Retriggered 'Spiral of Self-Hatred'". MSN. Retrieved April 19, 2019.