Q: Gwendoline Christie, what did you think of the response to your character? 

GC: “I was very surprised, and heartened, at the overwhelming response to the character of Captain Phasma.  But I really felt that what Kathleen and JJ and what everyone had created at STAR WARS was… I think JJ has been open about the fact that he wanted to respect the origins of the films and celebrate them, but to bring them into the modern day.  And confirmation of that seemed to be, to me, in this amazing character of Captain Phasma, who is STAR WARS’ first on-screen female villain.  And more that that, this is a character who, so far, we have related to due to her choices, due to her character, and not due to the way she has been made in flesh.  And conventionally, that is how we have related to female characters.  So this to me felt very progressive.  And the response from the audience and fans has been so celebratory, it makes me think this is the kind of thing people want to see.  People want to see a more diverse reflection of society. And I feel incredibly privileged to play that part.”