Is Emilia Star Wars rogue’s ‘one’? Actress on role as Han Solo’s buddy
DETAILS of her role as femme fatale Qi’ra in the upcoming space saga Solo: A Star Wars Story have been kept tightly under wraps. And Game Of Thrones star Emilia Clarke, pictured, has spoken for the first time about the ‘badass and strong’ character in the Han Solo movie, as well as dishing on Qi’Ra’s relationship with the Millennium Falcon pilot.
The 31-year-old actress told Entertainment Weekly: ‘[In] Han Solo’s movie, this girl gets to be badass. And strong. And has her own journey. Qi’ra’s journey is definitely one of survival and strength.
‘The way that I felt about her was, “yeah, this girl has got a core of steel”.’
Speaking about her ‘tough’ character’s complex relationship with space smuggler Han, Emilia said the pair had grown up together and become partners-in-crime in later years.
She said: ‘You see the beginnings of him, this loveable rogue. You get it fine-tuned throughout these relationships, and Qi’ra is one of those relationships that has an impact on him as a character.
‘The goal is that the shadow of Qi’ra is there in Han as a character that we know. This girl is another texture that makes up who he is when we first meet him.’
The film, which is due out in May, sees Alden Ehrenreich transform into the feisty Han Solo.
Emilia’s interview comes hot on the heels of the release of the first official trailer for Solo: A Star Wars Story – which shows her getting behind the controls of the Millennium Falcon for the very first time.
The 85-second preview also gave fans their first look at some of the film’s characters, including Lando Calrissian and Qi’ra.
In a slew of shots for the film, Donald Glover’s Lando Calrissian – a fan favourite featured in the originals – is briefly seen, along with a masked character who has been hinted to be the film’s villain, and Thandie Newton’s mystery character.
Qi’ra is also seen sporting a glamorous dress and curled hair in a brief glimpse of a bar full of dancers, saying to Solo: ‘I might be the only person who knows what you really are.’
Ever the confident man, Solo scoffs replying: ‘What’s that?’
Fans have been eagerly awaiting their first look at this film since it was announced in 2015, after being shrouded in secrecy due to a messy production.
Original directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller were fired from the project in June 2017 due to ‘creative differences’, according to Variety, leading Ron Howard to step in for extensive reshoots.