'Last Jedi' breakout Kelly Marie Tran reveals which 'Star Wars' characters caused her to geek out on set

She knew it was going to be an emotional trip walking onto the set of a Star Wars movie for the first time, but Kelly Marie Tran was determined to remain calm and composed.

“[I had] that feeling of just being totally silent and just wanting to be completely present and to experience every feeling to its fullest,” Tran told Yahoo Entertainment about her first moments on the set of Star Wars: The Last Jedi (watch above). “And then seeing C-3PO and being totally thrown off.

“I felt like I was about to play the Super Bowl. I knew all the plays. I knew exactly what was going to happen. And then you see R2-D2, and you’re like, ‘I’m thrown off.’”

To stick with her sports analogy, Tran is The Last Jedi‘s rookie of the year. The relatively unknown 28-year-old actress is earning early praise for her portrayal of Rose Tico, a sharp-witted Resistance mechanic whose tendency to sniff out deserters leads her on a treacherous mission alongside Finn (John Boyega). And fans are vicariously soaking up all the feel that Tran is experiencing as the saga’s wide-eyed new star.

Beyond the delirium of those droid sightings, Tran was ultimately able to find a balance in the Force. “You have to find a way to be able to work in that atmosphere,” she said. “Then remind yourself that you’re allowed to geek out.”

Star Wars: The Last Jedi opens Dec. 15.

Watch Daisy Ridley and John Boyega explain how Star Wars has changed their lives:

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