There have long been rumblings that George Lucas wanted Jodie Foster for the role of Princess Leia Organa in the Star Wars franchise. Now, the Oscar winner has finally confirmed she was indeed offered the part before it went to the late, great (and iconic) Carrie Fisher.
Foster appeared on NBC's The Tonight Show earlier this week, prompting host Jimmy Fallon to ask, "You’ve been in so many iconic roles, and we love what you do. But I saw this on the internet - you were offered the role of Princess Leia in Star Wars, is that true?"
She responded by saying (via SFFGazette.com), "I was, yeah. They were going for a younger Princess Leia but I had a conflict. I was doing a Disney movie and I just didn’t want to pull out of the Disney movie because I was already under contract."
Had Lucas cast Foster, then Leia would have been a much different character. For starters, she was in her early teens when Star Wars: A New Hope was filmed and 15 when the movie arrived in theaters in 1977. In contrast, Fisher was 19 when Lucas got cameras rolling on his sci-fi epic.
"They did an amazing job," the actress added. "I don’t know how good I would have been. I might have had different hair. I might have gone with a pineapple."
Things worked out for Foster and casting Fisher was definitely the right decision for Star Wars (had Leia only been 13 or 14, the door would have been closed on her being Luke Skywalker's twin sister and on any possible romance with Han Solo).
In the Star Wars franchise, Princess Leia Organa is depicted as a fearless leader and member of the Rebel Alliance. Adopted into royalty, the daughter of Anakin Skywalker and Padmé Amidala is known for her intelligence, bravery, and strong-willed nature.
Leia plays a crucial role in the fight against the tyrannical Galactic Empire, serving as a diplomat, military strategist, and ultimately as a key figure in the Rebel victory.
Foster began her acting career as a child, later earning widespread recognition for her roles in Taxi Driver and The Silence of the Lambs, which won her two Academy Awards. Foster has continued to deliver stellar performances across multiple genres, showcasing her versatility in movies like Panic Room and Contact (she no fan of superhero movies, however).
Foster has also successfully ventured into directing with movies like Little Man Tate and The Beaver. She recently returned to acting with HBO's True Detective: Night Country.
Watch Foster's Star Wars comments in full in the X post below.