Kelly Marie Tran sought therapy after 'Star Wars' backlash

by

Dec. 9 (UPI) -- Kelly Marie Tran says she sought therapy after backlash to her Star Wars casting.

The 30-year-old actress said on Monday's episode of Good Morning America that she's in a good place following online bullying and harassment.

Tran faced sexist and racist abuse online after she was cast as Rose Tico in Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017), the second film in the Star Wars sequel trilogy. Tran will return as Rose in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, which opens in theaters Dec. 20.

GMA host Amy Robach asked Tran how she's doing in the wake of the backlash.

"I feel great now. I've been to therapy," Tran said. "I highly recommend."

Tran said she used therapy to cope with the bullying and her meteoric rise to fame.

"I very much was someone working a day job, struggling to be an actor and then suddenly was in Star Wars. I think that transition takes a lot of emotional work, if that makes sense," she said. "But yeah, I'm in a really good place now. I'm excited for this movie to come out."

Tran shared the advice she gave to her new Star Wars co-star Naomi Ackie, who recently credited Tran with helping her develop a "thicker skin."

"I think we met and immediately sort of hit it off. Sort of talked about all the struggles of being people that did not grow up in privileged backgrounds. [Being] very new to this industry, what that meant, what we would be dealing with," Tran said.

"I think the biggest thing that sort of came from that was making sure that you don't become isolated or silent about the things you're dealing with," she shared. "The best thing for me was looking outward and remembering that the world is bigger than myself and that experience."

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is directed by J.J. Abrams and co-stars Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, John Boyega, Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher. Isaac said on The Ellen DeGeneres Show last week that Abrams did a "spectacular" job with the movie.