Newcomer Daisy Ridley was sworn to secrecy for three months that she had even been cast in the film. And with a week to go before the world premiere on Dec. 14, some of the actors have not yet seen "The Force Awakens."

"I was in scenes in which some of the characters I was working with did not know who I was," Nyong'o, who it is now known plays pirate Maz Kanata, told Reuters. "That's how secretive it was."

Aside from broad character outlines, details are being kept tightly under wraps, prompting endless online speculation by fans eager to see the saga's first film installment in a decade.

Walt Disney Co, which took over "Star Wars" with its 2012 purchase of Lucasfilm, scrapped the typical Hollywood practice of screening the movie for reporters before they speak with the cast. The stars revealed little in interviews, declining to answer even basic questions.