Star Wars star Mark Hamill backs Kelly Marie Tran after reports of harassment

As Star Wars fans rally around Kelly Marie Tran, so too is her Last Jedi costar Mark Hamill. The franchise veteran sent his support to the 29-year-old actress after reports came out about online harassment driving Tran off social media.

“What’s not to love?” Hamill tweeted on Thursday. “#GetALifeNerds”

Tran had recently wiped all posts off her Instagram account, and although she has yet to make a public statement as to why, reports surfaced stating she left over online harassment she apparently received for months.

As Rose Tico, a mechanic for the Rebel Alliance, Tran became the first Asian-American actress to be cast in a principal role in a Star Wars movie. The Last Jedi character was largely praised by critics, but racist and sexist responses came from so-called fans.

Daisy Ridley, who stars as Rey in the new Star Wars trilogy, previously left Instagram in 2016 as it proved bad for her mental health.

Star Wars: The Last Jedi director Rian Johnson also came out in support of his star.

“What we talk about when talk about manbabies,” he tweeted on Tuesday. “On social media a few unhealthy people can cast a big shadow on the wall, but over the past 4 years I’ve met lots of real fellow SW fans. We like & dislike stuff but we do it with humor, love & respect. We’re the VAST majority, we’re having fun & doing just fine.”

“Guys, can I tell you a secret? I avoided public social media for a long time purely because I was afraid,” Tran said in a previous Instagram post from October, according to E! “I was terrified of being picked apart, of being scrutinized, of being seen. It took me a year of self-work—and some really amazing, supportive friends—to make me realize that it’s none of my business if people like me or not. It doesn’t change my goals, my dreams, what I want to do with the opportunities I’ve been given.”

• 

  By Nick Romano