Page 35 - Star Wars Insider #182

FORCES OF DESTINY

Having seen all the movies, did she gave me some good advice, 01 Luke, Leia, it takes a lot of research, and a lot
and their
you have to do much research for mainly about recognizing what of watching and listening. I really
Ewok allies
the role of Princess Leia in Forces a big opportunity this is and face a huge want to stay true to Leia’s voice,
of Destiny? not to read YouTube comments! new foe in and on my way to sessions I listen
“Traps and
I re-watched all of the movies at least Dave [Filoni, the executive to recordings of Carrie Fisher as
Tribulations.”
three times. I was trying to really producer of Forces of Destiny] Leia that I play and then repeat
focus on and capture every single gave me some great advice on back. I’m just talking to myself
facet of Carrie Fisher’s performance, my first recording day, too. He in my car, so I probably look like

specifi cally in A New Hope. I feel told me to watch other fi lms with a crazy person. Actually, that’s
like I’m still learning whenever I strong female leads, find lines that I probably pretty normal in L.A.

re-watch them, and there’s so much liked that show their strength, and
Star Wars lore and history that I’m then recite those lines as though Had Carrie already passed away
always absorbing new things. Leia was saying them. As a way when you accepted the role?
to get into that mindset, that was No, she hadn’t, and it was so hard
How did your role in Forces of really, really helpful. for everyone when we heard the
Destiny come about? news. It’s crazy, because I still feel
It was a dream. I got an interview How do you approach a role like she’s with us sometimes. I’ll
through my agent, and you could that’s so closely associated with hear funny stories being passed
tell it was Star Wars just from the another actor? around, and it just seems like she
style of writing in the script pages, Carrie Fisher is Leia. She always was the coolest woman. Even
and, of course, that they were will be Leia. So, not only is this though I never met her, I’ve gotten
asking for a young-sounding Carrie one of the coolest jobs I’ve ever close to her because I was doing so
Fisher! I did the best that I possibly had, but I also feel so honored to much research. Not only watching

could, but I didn’t want to get my be stepping in her footsteps. It’s a the films, but watching interviews
hopes up too high. I just wanted to lot of pressure, and I don’t want and really trying to get a sense of
focus on capturing Princess Leia’s to let any of the fans down, but who she was. And of course, I grew
strengths. I didn’t hear anything it’s also very interesting, because up knowing who she was. It hit
for two weeks, so I put it out of really, really hard. It was very sad.
my head. When you’re an actor, “Carrie Fisher is Leia. She
you can’t sit and pine over one What’s it like in the studio,
audition, because you won’t be always will be Leia. So, not recording Forces of Destiny?
able to focus on the next one. But only is this one of the coolest It depends on who I’m acting
when they finally offered me the alongside. On my most recent

role, I cried! I was so excited. Of jobs I’ve ever had, but I episode with Maz Kanata, Lupita
course, I wasn’t allowed to tell also feel so honored to be Nyong’o wasn’t in California, so
anyone, but I did call my mom. I didn’t get to meet her and that
She was excited for me, but she stepping in her footsteps.” was me recording by myself in
didn’t fully get it until she saw
Forces of Destiny when it came
out. She said: “Oh wow, this is 01
really big,” and I’m like: “Yeah
mom, why do you think I was
freaking out so much?”
Did you audition with a new
script or an iconic Leia scene?
It was similar to the episode
“Bounty of Trouble” [Season
One, Episode Eight], where Leia
and Sabine are talking about the
importance of a data tape, but it
wasn’t exactly the same. I think
it was written specifically for the

audition process.
Did you get any advice from
Star Wars veterans?
I met [Padmé Amidala voice actor]
Catherine Taber at an event, and

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SWI182_032-043_FEAT_ForcesOfDestiny_V3CC-LFLamends.indd 35 13/06/2018 12:07