Rogue One: A Star Wars Story Star Felicity Jones Wants Girls to Invest in Jyn Erso

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story will break ground in the Star Wars universe in several ways. It's the first of their new standalone "Star Wars Story" movies that cover events outside of the core "Skywalker Saga" of the episodic films. Rogue One also stars a female lead (for the second consecutive Star Wars movie!), and has the most diverse cast of any Star Wars movie to date.

For lead actress Felicity Jones, she's excited to see a character like Jyn Erso, leader of the band of Rebels tasked with stealing the Death Star plans, get such a spotlight.

"I just hope that girls like the movie and can invest in Jyn's story and care about her," Jones told VanityFair in a recent interview. "It is quite nice now that instead of a fish's tail, girls can see a cool female character who's got a blaster and can run really fast."

She's also excited not just to be present but get to deliver the major lines in the film. Jones talked at Star Wars Celebration Europe about the big line in the Star Wars universe, "May the Force Be With You," and adds to that dialogue about the nature of rebellion, and inspirational speeches.

"There are some really strong lines that you definitely want to feel like you've rehearsed. I would always be reciting different lines, walking around my house, doing the ironing and saying, 'The force is with you,' over and over again," she said.

The actress doesn't just have a chat in the film, though, as she's on the front lines of the Rebellion, working with her Rebel Alliance squadmates to make the galaxy safe from the Empire once again. Yeah, that means action.

"I loved it because I got to kick some ass. I loved the physical side of making these larger films. I worked closely with the stunt teams and got to learn a new skill. I mean, you do go home covered in bruises, but it's worth it," she said of taking some licks during filming.

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story hits theaters December 16, 2016. The first standalone film from Lucasfilm and Disney is directed by Gareth Edwards, and also stars Donnie Yen as Chirrut Îmwe, Ben Mendelsohn as the villain Director Orson Krennic, and James Earl Jones returning as the voice of Darth Vader.