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

Hamill to 'Star Wars' trolls: '#GetALifeNerds'

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.”

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