Richard E. Grant and Keri Russell's 'Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker' roles have been confirmed.

Richard E. Grant

Richard E. Grant

The 62-year-old actor and the 43-year-old actress appear in the final instalment on the new trilogy and although the pair where previously sworn to secrecy about their roles, Vanity Fair has now revealed that Grant will play Allegiant General Pryde, while Russell portrays Zorri Bliss.

Grant's alter ego has been described as a "high ranking member of the First Order" who is thought to have a close relationship with Domhnall Gleeson's character General Hux.

'Americans' star Russell will star as a "masked scoundrel" who inhabits the Thieves' Quarter, an area on the planet Kijimi.

It was also confirmed that the film will include the Knights of Ren, a mysterious order of elite warriors who followed the Dark Side of The Force and were led by Kylo Ren (Adam Driver). They have previously been seen by Rey (Daisy Ridley) in flashback scenes in 'Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens'.

Earlier this year, 'Can You Ever Forgive Me?' star Grant revealed that the spoiler security measures surrounding the much-hyped sci-fi movie are so intense that he couldn't even tell his wife Joan, 70, and daughter Olivia, 30, who he plays in the franchise.

He previously said: "I've never known anything like it - huge secrecy. I know it comes out on December 19 [and] I'm not even allowed to tell my wife and daughter the name of my character.

"They have security on the set plain clothes and visible, you have to wear a cloak from the trailers to going in the studio because they have drones going out overhead.

"You have to read the script in a big conference room that has guards outside with cameras. You get the pages that you are doing on the day you have to sign in for them and sign out for them at the end of the day, so it's Fort Knox."