There’s no doubt the actors behind the more physical roles in Star Wars: The Last Jedi have had to put the hard yards in. Stunt people only get you so far. To illustrate the demands placed on the likes of Daisy Ridley and Gwendoline Christie, the Star Wars YouTube channel has published a short training featurette.
The clip’s two-and-a-half minutes cover some of the physical training Ridley and Christie underwent to prepare them for their roles of Rey and Phasma respectively.
There was a lot of it, unsurprisingly. To put things into perspective, here’s a tidbit from Christie, who also plays Brienne of Tarth on HBO’s Game of Thrones:
This is the hardest, physical thing I’ve done yet.
Which is quite the statement coming from the actor, considering her involvement in one of hit show’s most visceral duels. If you’re wondering how it could be even more demanding, Christie provides the following context:
The suit can be very restrictive, just to move in, just to walk in. You do the move and you think “Gosh, is it lunch time yet?”
It’s easy to forget that costumes can not only weigh a tonne, but make you move in awkward and uncomfortable ways that put extra strain on the body.
So when you do watch The Last Jedi this month, take some time to appreciate just how awesome Christie makes Phasma look.