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Captain Phasma excited Gwendoline Christie because of the Dark Side

Gwendoline Christie has opened up about why she accepted the role of Captain Phasma in Star Wars: The Force Awakens and what excited her about the character

Gwendoline Christie as Captain Phasma in Star Wars

When the first trailer for Star Wars: The Force Awakens debuted, fans were immediately excited by Captain Phasma or, as she was known then, ‘that silver stormtrooper’. Joking aside, the Star Wars character literally stood out from the rest of the First Order’s goons in part because of her dazzling silver suit.

Unfortunately, the character’s appearance in the first Disney Star Wars movie was brief, and she was unceremoniously killed off in The Last Jedi before she could make much of an impact. Still, let’s not lament what could have been (we’d be here all day) and instead celebrate what was.

In a recent interview with Star Wars: The Galaxy’s Greatest Villains, per StarWars.com, Gwendoline Christie opened up about her time in a galaxy far, far away and spoke a little about what it was about Phasma that attracted her to the role. Christie believes that Phasma, as a character is a dark reflection of Princess Leia’s legacy.

“I find it very exciting that Star Wars has continued the tradition of strong female characters and that the legacy of Princess Leia lives on in Daisy Ridley as Rey,” Christie explained. “She is a source of good and the power of good. Captain Phasma is the opposite of that. Captain Phasma is when someone chooses the dark side of human nature and chooses to be self-serving.”

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“I find that quite exciting,” she continued. “What interests me is the fact that women are represented more than ever. They are represented with strength and positivity and strength and negativity. It’s that forward vision, coupled with all these elements that we’re familiar with that we’ve all grown up with, that excites us so much.”

While we wish we’d gotten more Phasma in the Sequel Trilogy, it’s good to see that Christie is happy to talk about the role. if you want to know more about the best science fiction movies ever made, check out our guide to where the Star Wars cast is now.