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Valene Kane Talks Playing Jyn Erso’s Mother In Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

By Elaine Tveit

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Irish actress Valene Kane, known for her role in The Fall, talked about playing Jyn Erso’s mother in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.

A few weeks ago, SWNN reported Irish actress Valene Kane was listed on IMDB as playing Jyn Erso’s mother in Rogue One. This week, Kane confirmed her landing of a role in Rogue One when she talked about it to Belfast Live (via Heroic Hollywood).

Valene Kane is primarily known for her role in the British drama series The Fall. In Rogue One, she will play Lyra Erso, the mother of the main character Jyn. It is presumed she will appear in a flashback scene, which we believe we saw glimpses of in the Rogue One sizzle reel at Star Wars Celebration Europe.

TORONTO, ON – SEPTEMBER 11: Actress Valene Kane attends the ‘Jump’ Premiere during the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival at the Cineplex Odeon Yonge

Kane told Belfast Live: “I grew up watching Stars Wars and I didn’t believe it was happening until I was filming in Iceland. It has a really edgy independent vibe.”

So far, no promotional images or even glimpses of Lyra Erso have been released or seen in any of the trailers. We will meet her before we see the movie, however, as she is a main character in a Rogue One prequel novel called Catalyst. Judging by its synopsis, the book is primarily centered on the Erso family, which includes Lyra, Jyn, and Jyn’s father Galen (played in the movie by Mads Mikkelsen).

Below is the synopsis for Catalyst:

War is tearing the galaxy apart. For years the Republic and the Separatists have battled across the stars, each building more and more deadly technology in an attempt to win the war. As a member of Chancellor Palpatine’s top secret Death Star project, Orson Krennic is determined to develop a superweapon before their enemies can. And an old friend of Krennic’s, the brilliant scientist Galen Erso, could be the key.

Galen’s energy-focused research has captured the attention of both Krennic and his foes, making the scientist a crucial pawn in the galactic conflict. But after Krennic rescues Galen, his wife, Lyra, and their young daughter, Jyn, from Separatist kidnappers, the Erso family is deeply in Krennic’s debt. Krennic then offers Galen an extraordinary opportunity: to continue his scientific studies with every resource put utterly at his disposal. While Galen and Lyra believe that his energy research will be used purely in altruistic ways, Krennic has other plans that will finally make the Death Star a reality. Trapped in their benefactor’s tightening grasp, the Ersos must untangle Krennic’s web of deception to save themselves and the galaxy itself.

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We know for certain Galen Erso will figure largely in Rogue One. It is unclear where his wife stands at this time. She may be dead already, killed by the Empire for not cooperating or as an incentive to get Galen to work for evil purposes. As we mentioned earlier, it has been speculated there will be a flashback scene in the movie, and this is a likely sequence for Lyra to appear in. Lyra appearing in a flashback is especially likely given Valene Kane, at 29 years old, is nowhere near old enough to play the 32-year-old Felicity Jones’s mother throughout the entire movie. Additional evidence for a flashback featuring Lyra is her filming in Iceland, where Mads Mikkelsen also shot some scenes for Rogue One.

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How big of a role Lyra will have in Rogue One remains to be seen. Her significance and story may be more fully developed in Catalyst, which comes out November 15th.

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