- Jodie Foster was offered the role of Princess Leia in the original Star Wars but turned it down due to a scheduling conflict with a Disney movie.
- At the time, Foster would have been only 14 compared to Carrie Fisher’s age of 20.
- Despite her talent, Foster might not have been the right fit for the role and her recent opinions on big franchise movies suggest she made a good decision.
During her appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Jodie Foster mentioned that she was offered the role of Princess Leia Organa in the original 1977 Star Wars movie. Although it’s hard to imagine anyone other than the late Carrie Fisher playing the iconic role, Foster could have been an alternative.
Jodie Foster discussed the internet rumors about her getting offered the role of Leia during the interview. Fallon asked, “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 confirmed the rumor and said, “Yeah. I was, yeah. They were going for a younger Princess Leia but I had a conflict…So I didn’t do it. And they did an amazing job. I don’t know how good I would have been.”
If Foster had been cast as Princess Leia, the dynamic of the role would have been different in many ways, particularly since Fisher was 20 during filming, while Foster would have been only 14 at the time. In light of Leia’s often complex relationships and romance with Han Solo, it is possible that Foster would have been too young for the role, or that Leia’s portrayal could have been significantly different from what we know today.
Despite her early acclaim in films like Taxi Driver, it remains uncertain whether Foster’s talent for dramatic roles would have suited the role of Leia. Perhaps her career path took her in the right direction, away from major franchise movies like Star Wars. Foster has delivered memorable performances in films such as The Silence of the Lambs and The Accused, earning her two Academy Awards for Best Actress.
Foster is currently starring in her first TV lead role in True Detective: Night Country. The fourth season of the popular anthology series has been highly praised and is available to watch on HBO and Max.