Star Wars: The Force Awakens director J.J. Abrams has shed light on Simon Pegg's involvement in the upcoming film. And while we already knew Pegg had a cameo in the film, Abrams says the actor's behind-the-scenes support was his greatest contribution.

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Star Wars: The Force Awakens Photos 24 IMAGES

"I will say this in terms of Simon: while he won’t be recognizable in the movie, in all honesty, his role in this – not the performance or the character – but his support and friendship has been massively important and helpful in the process," Abrams told EW of Pegg, who of course also played Scotty in the director's two Star Trek movies."He was a wonderful partner in crime to kick the story around and ask questions and come up with ideas, and he was an incredibly helpful part of the process for all of us," continued the director. "I’m very grateful."In addition, Pegg often offered plenty of critical feedback that, according to Abrams, has proven to be instrumental in shaping this new chapter of the Star Wars film universe."He would drop by the set because he wanted to, and when he could, he would help," Abrams added. "We could talk about things, and he was a perfect combination of incredibly smart screenwriter, fan of the series, critical fan of the series, and friend of mine – but not just blindly supportive."He was an honest, critical friend. And he wasn’t so close to it that he became immune to things. He would come in with fresh eyes and very smart ideas. He’s one of a handful of people along the way that has been really priceless."Star Wars: The Force Awakens hits theaters on December 18, 2015. For more on Abrams' upcoming sci-fi epic, be sure to check out these new details on the film's villain, Kylo Ren . While you're at it, take a closer look at Captain Phasma's armor , which was just shown off at D23.

Alex Osborn is a freelance writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter