Kelly Marie Tran in tears at premiere of 'Star Wars: The Last Jedi'

Vietnamese proud! Kelly Marie Tran's red carpet gown was designed by a Vietnamese fashion designer.

FOR MANY Asian American fans of the Star Wars franchise, it was a historical moment, assuring that there is a future for them in a galaxy far, far away and maybe, even in the tight-knit universe of Hollywood.

For Kelly Marie Tran, the premiere of Star Wars: The Last Jedi last Saturday (Dec. 9) in Los Angeles was a moment she'll never forget as she enters into a universe of glamor, fame with a role of a lifetime cemented into the lore and legend of one of entertainment's most famous movie franchises.

A year ago, people were saying, "Kelly Marie ... who?"as fans tried to determine what role the daughter of Vietnamese immigrants would play. 

And after the premiere of the latest episode of Star Wars, people are saying that she is the "breakout star" of the The Last Jedi, the third act of a three-movie arc in the nine movies depicting the war between the Empire and the The Resistance.

The moment was not lost on Tran, who was resplendent on the red carpet in her red gown designed by Vietnamese designer Thai Nguyen Atelier. Besides being her big break for her acting career, she knows the role her character plays in movie history of Asian Americans and in the American culture in a franchise that began in 1977's first Star Wars, directed by George Lucas, without any people of color to the racially diverse universe being depicted nine movies and 40 years later.

The moment almost got to be too big for newcomer Kelly Marie Tran as she is comforted by costar Daisy Ridley, whose own life was forever changed when she was cast as Rey, the central character in this third Star Wars trilogy, two years ago.

Before she was cast she was just doing odd jobs in L.A. Her biggest claim to fame was a series of Youtube videos for CollegeHumor. Tran says that she was always thought that her big break would come if she was cast as somebody's best friend in a supporting role.

Her role in the Asian/American pop culture continuum was not lost on her when she was asked by Rolling Stone what it meant to be the first Asian/American woman cast in a pivotal role in Star Wars.

"I wish it was just a nice little bonus, because it kind of feels like a lot of pressure in ways, I would love to live in a world where no one person has to represent a very large group of people just purely because of the fact that there's not many of those types of people in movies or TV – or writing or producing or directing. I would like to live in a world where there are a bunch of different types of people doing those things. But obviously we don't, and it's something I think about a lot. I don't take it lightly at all. I think from the moment I got this part - and it was also because this is a Star Wars movie - I just wanted to do the whole thing justice.

"And on a representation standpoint, I wanted to do that justice too. Me and John (Boyega) talked about that: Just the idea that we are people of color, that's something we always address in interviews. We actually had this one moment on set that I still hold really close to my heart. This one day we were shooting this scene and I remember John stopping and saying, "Kelly, we're making history right now" ... and we were. Because not only are we making a Star Wars movie, we have scenes where it's just John and myself."

Rose (Kelly Marie Tran) and Finn (John Boyega) are key protagonists in 'Star Wars: The Last Jedi.'

"Growing up I watched a lot of pop culture] and didn’t really get to see a lot of people that looked like me," she told Entertainment Weekly. "I think that I’m really lucky to be this person, and I get to be part of this franchise. I hope that it is a move in a better direction." 

When she heard she got the role in The Last Jedi she was working as a business assistant. Immediately, she had to act like the life-changing moment had never happened.

“But after I got the role, I had to work for another week!," she told Elle. "Then I told my job, my family, and my friends I was moving to Canada for an indie. I had to Google pictures of Canada to send them! It was so stressful.”

Nevertheless, Tran was quick to put her stamp on the notoriously top-secret saga. “Kelly has an infectious energy and creative spirit that actually ended up influencing her character,” says director Rian Johnson. Rose “may not be glorified in the Resistance the way Rey (Daisy Ridley) and Finn (John Boyega) are,” Tran says, “but has an important story to tell. She can and will make a difference.”After the emotional evening, Tran posted on Instagram:

Kelly Marie Tran broke down again as she  thanks director Rian Johnson.

“My parents are both refugees from Vietnam, and they spent their whole lives working towards a reality where my sisters and I would have choice,” Tran told the outlet. “That was purely it. My parents never had the luxury of having a dream.”

After the emotional evening, Tran posted on Instagram:

“Last night was one of the best nights of my life, and honestly, I truly think it’s because I let myself feel ALL the feelings,” she wrote in an Instagram post following the event. “YOU GUYS. I cried my way through the ENTIRE red carpet! I was basically a ball of emotion — from pure excitement to overwhelming joy.” 

Star Wars: The Last Jedi will be released in theaters across the country Dec. 15.

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