Felicity Jones is proud to have had a prominent role in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story as she feels its genre is dominated by men. The star plays Jyn Erso in the upcoming science fiction flick, and she’s thrilled to have portrayed such a strong woman.

She shared with Australia’s Daily Telegraph: “Jyn is a fantastic woman … I saw her as being tough and decisive and I tried to capture that attitude and portray her as an extraordinary heroine. We rarely see a woman like this in film …

It’s important and exciting that this genre, which is traditionally dominated by men, is now featuring a woman in a central role. I spent hours practicing for the fight scenes. I even had to learn kung fu with my own coach, and I would work for hours every day learning the moves.”

Despite her excitement, the star had previously admitted the fight scenes were exhausting and required intense practice.

She added: “I’m laughing now, but at the time, it was physically exhausting. It took a lot of hours of practice, and I worked with a kung fu coach, and I learned to fight, even though I never thought beating up Stormtroopers was something I’d be doing in my job. It came through hard work and lots of practice and rehearsals.”

And Felicity worked hard to polish her iconic line, “May the force be with you” as she knew it could be remembered for years to come.

“I have to say it was one of those moments that I was really nervous about for weeks before. I kept walking around my house just trying out the line.

I’d just be in the bathroom and be like, ‘May the force be with you. May the force be with you. May the force be with you.’ You just go over and over and over again because I knew it was such a momentous moment for the film.”