The Force is strong in Beyoncé.
Though the singer doesn't make a cameo in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, she did shape Felicity Jones' portrayal of rebellion leader Jyn Erso. The actress' favorite track? "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)," of course. "Jyn's a single lady," Jones joked in an interview with E! News' Erin Lim over the weekend. To prepare for the role, Jones often found herself watching Beyoncé's Lemonade. "I think she's someone who has incredible power and is devoted to what she does, but she also seems like a very nice person," she said. "I think that's very important to emulate."
Playing the lead in a Star Wars movie is a dream come true for any actor. And Jones—who's headlining the first standalone film—can't believe it's real. "When I got the call, I thought, 'Oh, golly! I've got the part,'" she said. "'I've got to get down to the gym and do some working out.'''
To her surprise, training for the role wasn't as difficult as she had imagined. "It was just pure dedication," Jones explained. "I worked really closely with the stunt team, who were just the loveliest group of people. They really held my hand through it, actually, and made it very, very easy and straightforward. We just practiced a hell of a lot—a lot of rehearsal." In fact, she said, "Every moment I had in between scenes, I would go to the stunt room and do a little sequence and practice it so that when I came to set, we knew it would be as a good as possible."
But did she suffer any injuries? "No one died, which is great," the actress, 33, joked. "But there was a lot of bruising. Particularly when I'm doing these scenes, I get really into it. When I'd get home, I wouldn't even realize. I think the adrenaline is pumping around your body so much. Then you get home and you're suddenly like, 'Wow, I've got quite a few bruises going on here.'"
Jones' boyfriend, Charles Guard, is chomping at the bit to see her in action.
"He loves it," she told E! News. "He can't wait."
Guard hasn't seen the movie yet. "He'll see it next week at the premiere," Jones said. "I can't wait, because my family is coming out as well. I just can't wait to see what they all think of it."
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story is in theaters Dec. 16.