With Reporting by Josh Horowitz

How tight is security around the "Star Wars" franchise these days, anyway? So tight, it turns out, that the shot-callers behind-the-scenes will have you frozen in carobonite, or worse, if you reveal any secrets — even if you're one of the stars.

Oscar-nominated actress Felicity Jones, who was up for Best Actress for her work in "The Theory of Everything," explained as much during a quick chat with MTV's Josh Horowitz on the Academy Awards red carpet. As much as she wanted to talk about rumors that she's joining the upcoming "Star Wars" spinoff directed by Gareth Edwards, she couldn't say a single word without fearing a Sith Lord was watching nearby.

"I can't talk about it," she said. "I'll lose my life!"

For her part, Lupita Nyong'o, who has an undisclosed role in "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" and was last year's Oscar winner for Best Supporting Actress, was willing to at least acknowledge that she's a player in the new "Star Wars" universe: "Being part of the 'Star Wars' franchise, I'm sure will change my life even more."

An innocuous comment on the surface, but if you read it through a Felicity Jones-ian lens, it takes on new meaning. Mr. Abrams, and everyone else at Lucasfilm, please ask your Imperial snipers to stand down; we're just talking here!

"Star Wars: The Force Awakens" hits theaters on December 18, with the first "Star Wars" spinoff arriving in 2016.