Line of Duty star reveals what her cut Star Wars role was

Line of Duty star Christina Chong has opened up about her cut Star Wars role, revealing that she was originally meant to appear in a scene with Daisy Ridley.

The actress appeared as DI Nicola Rogerson in the BBC police drama and can now been seen on Star Trek: Strange New Worlds as La'an Noonien-Singh – though was cast in 2015's Star Wars reboot The Force Awakens.

While her role wasn't disclosed at the time, it didn't end up in the final cut, and Chong has now revealed who her character actually was.

"I was on set the first day of the shoot in Abu Dhabi in the middle of the desert," she told ComicBook. "I remember I had this whole purple headdress thing on and all this special make-up, so I was some kind of race of something. They were like, 'Look, it's only a small role, but it'll be filming in Abu Dhabi and it'll be great.'"

Chong elaborated: "My scene was with Daisy Ridley, and it was at the beginning, the very first day of the shoot. They had to drive us. I remember just seeing the dot in the middle of the desert, and that was where the set was and then arriving and it being so huge.

"JJ Abrams, there were three units on that section of the desert and he was driving to each unit via golf buggy, setting it up and then going to the next, and I guess he probably had the monitor with him on the buggy, I don't know."

Related: Star Wars boss clears up comments about recasting classic characters

The star revealed that it was her "first time with such a huge set like that", adding that her scene "involved explosions and crying, and I had a son".

"I can't remember exactly what the scene was about, but basically, Rey is alone, and I'm leaving with my son on this ship and she's there on her own in the desert," she said.

While she didn't end up in the finished movie, Chong still praised the experience of working on Star Wars, recalling: "I saw all the stormtroopers and they were rehearsing their movement and stuff. It was incredible.

"That was an amazing experience in Abu Dhabi. So random. And then we actually had to re-shoot because, I can't remember, something went wrong and they had to re-shoot it, but they re-shot it at Pinewood in London with a green screen.

"So I essentially got paid twice to do that job and ended up on the cutting room floor, which is amazing."

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker and the entire Skywalker Saga are available on DVD, Blu-ray and 4K now, as well as on Disney+, while Rise of Skywalker is also on Sky Cinema Premiere and NOW.

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Sam Warner

Sam is a freelance reporter and sub-editor who has a particular interest in movies, TV and music. After completing a journalism Masters at City University, London, Sam joined Digital Spy as a reporter, and has also freelanced for publications such as NME and Screen International.  Sam, who also has a degree in Film, can wax lyrical about everything from Lord of the Rings to Love Is Blind, and is equally in his element crossing every 't' and dotting every 'i' as a sub-editor.