The unexpected passing of Carrie Fisher was devastating for her fans considering that everyone was hoping that the actress would continue to play General Leia Organa in the Star Wars films. However, people can rest assured that Leia will still play a major role in Star Wars Episode 9 since director J.J. Abrams decided to re-use some old footage of Fisher that were deleted from Star Wars: The Force Awakens. But what is it like seeing Fisher all over again despite her passing in 2016? Daisy Ridley has shared an interesting story about a certain scene from Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker that features Rey and Leia.
J.J. Abrams revealed during the Episode 9 panel at Star Wars Celebration Chicago that the movie used some scenes Carrie Fisher filmed for The Force Awakens. The director explained that Leia Organa's storyline was written around Fisher's available footage as well. This way, the production team didn't need to recast Leia for the final film in the Skywalker Saga.
The first trailer for Star Wars Episode 9 certainly has plenty of new footage but some of the shots were actually at least five years old. There are two emotional scenes showing Leia Organa embracing Rey and one even shows Rey crying. In a new interview, Daisy Ridley confirmed that the scene was shot while she and Carrie Fisher were working on The Force Awakens. The Ophelia star stated that the original context of what she and Fisher were shooting is "not a million miles away from what this scene is" and admitted that "it was very sad."
It's certainly an emotional scene to watch but Daisy Ridley assures fans that Carrie Fisher still found a way to lighten the mood. According to Ridley, the late actress had something truly hilarious to say while they were shooting the sequence.
"She was actually whispering, 'This is a f--ing long hug,'" Ridley revealed with a laugh. "I was trying to do my acting, like, 'Oh my god, Carrie!'"
Any fan of Carrie Fisher would be well aware of her humor so it's no surprise that Fisher would say something like this during filming. Luckily, Daisy Ridley was able to maintain her composure throughout the scene.
The late Carrie Fisher will return for the last time as General Leia Organa in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. The film will premiere on December 20.
