'Star Wars: The Last Jedi': Gwendoline Christie contributes to Captain Phasma's backstory

The main plot and character backstories of the new Star Wars trilogy are subject to change. Each new director has been given flexibility to chart his/her own course for their films; they are also allowed to take the saga in new directions. In a recent interview, cast member Gwendoline Christie has revealed how director Rian Johnson was willing to accept her ideas for Captain Phasma’s backstory, which will be seen in “Star Wars: The Last Jedi.”

In an interview with IGN, Christie (Captain Phasma) said she had long conversations with Johnson about her character and backstory. The actress was appreciative of the fact that the director was willing to listen to her ideas, and she in turn was thrilled to listen to his.

"He really is a master writer and director, and I think we've seen that in the films that he's made but I think that we truly will see that in the depths to which he goes in ‘The Last Jedi,’" Christie said.

Even though Christie didn’t have a lot of background on her character when she started filming “Force Awakens,” the actress revealed how she did her preparation to play the part. She had trained herself through method-acting, so she has the habit of developing her own backstory and motivations for her character before filming scenes. She does this in order to make sure her scenes have logical justification.

What this backstory is and what ideas Christie had that were incorporated in the film, only time will tell. Captain Phasma is an important member of the First Order, one who leads the new Stormtroopers. Apart from the brief scenes in the film, the character also appears in other canon materials of the franchise.