Star Wars' Kelly Marie Tran deletes her Instagram posts after racist harassment

Kelly Marie Tran, the first woman of colour to take a major role in a Star Wars film, has deleted all of her posts from Instagram due to online abuse.

Tran, 29, played Rose Tico, a mechanic who befriends John Boyega's Finn in Star Wars: The Last Jedi. Tico goes on to save his life and the pair share a kiss.

However, there has been a backlash towards the character from some Star Wars fans.

In December last year, Tran, who is Vietnamese-American, was mocked for her appearance by far-right personality Paul Ray Ramsey, and a fan wikipedia was edited with racist comments about Tico.

Several Star Wars fansites, including Star Wars Facts, are reporting that the purge of Tran's Instagram account is linked to increased harassment, but Tran has yet to speak publicly about the matter.

In December, she told Variety that it was both "both an honor and a responsibility" to represent Asian women in Star Wars.

Tran added: "It feels like a big deal because it's so rare, I wish it wasn't. I wish that you and I could be having a different conversation. I wish that all different types of people of all races and all upbringings were all equally represented in this industry that influences so many people. But the fact is that's just not true, so it is important to talk about it."

Tran's Star Wars co-star Daisy Ridley deleted her own Instagram account in 2016 after experiencing harassment about her views on gun control.