Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker stars praise the posthumous cameo by Carrie Fisher
With Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker hitting theaters tonight with sneak preview screenings before opening nationwide Friday, some of the film's stars are praising the posthumous cameo from Carrie Fisher.
Fisher, who originated the iconic role of Princess Leia Organa in the original Star Wars trilogy, passed away in December 2016 at the age of 60, but director J.J. Abrams managed to use unused footage from 2015's Star Wars: The Force Awakens to bring Leia back.
Ahead of Friday's debut, US Weekly spoke with The Rise of Skywalker stars Richard E. Grant (General Pryde) and Naomi Ackie (Jannah) about Fisher's cameo.
Praise: With Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker hitting theaters tonight with sneak preview screenings before opening nationwide Friday, some of the film's stars are praising the posthumous cameo from Carrie Fisher
Co-star: Ahead of Friday's debut, US Weekly spoke with The Rise of Skywalker stars Richard E. Grant (General Pryde) and Naomi Ackie (Jannah) about Fisher's cameo
Grant revealed that he had known Fisher for quite some time, stating, 'I got to know Carrie when I was doing L.A. Story here with Steve Martin [in] 1990, and we became friends.'
'To be in her final acting [project], in this movie or be it via unused footage, [it] was very emotional to see,' he continued.
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'It’s been seamlessly done. You wouldn’t know that it hadn’t been shot specifically for this movie,' he said, adding the way she was brought into the story was, 'brilliant.'
![Old friends: Grant revealed that he had known Fisher for quite some time, stating, 'I got to know Carrie when I was doing L.A. Story here with Steve Martin [in] 1990, and we became friends'](http://web.archive.org/web/20191223071818/https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/12/20/02/22479466-7812179-image-a-37_1576808029020.jpg)
![Old friends: Grant revealed that he had known Fisher for quite some time, stating, 'I got to know Carrie when I was doing L.A. Story here with Steve Martin [in] 1990, and we became friends'](http://web.archive.org/web/20191223071818im_/https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/12/20/02/22479466-7812179-image-a-37_1576808029020.jpg)
Old friends: Grant revealed that he had known Fisher for quite some time, stating, 'I got to know Carrie when I was doing L.A. Story here with Steve Martin [in] 1990, and we became friends'
Naomi Ackie, the 27 year old actress who plays Jannah in The Rise of Skywalker, never had the chance to meet Fisher.
'I never had the chance to meet her personally, but I really feel like I got to know a side of her — by watching this — that people might not have seen,' Ackie said.
Director J.J. Abrams also revealed in a new interview with Yahoo! Entertainment why he decided to use old footage to put Fisher in the movie.
Never met: Naomi Ackie, the 27 year old actress who plays Jannah in The Rise of Skywalker, never had the chance to meet Fisher
'We couldn't tell a story without Leia,' Abrams said of Fisher's iconic princess-turned-general. 'We couldn't find a way where The Skywalker Saga comes to an end and Leia is not present.'
Shortly after Fisher's death, Disney and LucasFilm shot down rumors that production was looking to re-cast the iconic role or use digital technology, opting to use previous footage from The Force Awakens in 2015.
'So it's all Carrie when you're seeing her perform in this movie. The beauty of it is it is her,' Abrams added.
Need Leia: 'We couldn't tell a story without Leia,' Abrams said of Fisher's iconic princess-turned-general. 'We couldn't find a way where The Skywalker Saga comes to an end and Leia is not present
Back in May, Disney announced the dates for several films, including three new planned Lucasfilm projects earlier this year.
The as-yet untitled Star Wars films will drop on December 16, 2022, December 20, 2024 and December 18, 2026.
The movies were initially going to be made by Game Of Thrones showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss.
Release date: Back in May, Disney announced the dates for several films, including three new planned Lucasfilm projects earlier this year
However, they are now busy working on Netflix projects and have pulled out.
Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy has yet to say who will replace them but has shared that the director for the first film will be revealed in January.
If that's not enough, The Last Jedi director Rian Johnson is heading up a brand new Star Wars trilogy.
It will feature 'new characters from a corner of the galaxy that Star Wars lore has never before explored.'
Meanwhile, the last film in the nine-movie franchise, Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker, will land in theaters on Thursday night.
Director reveal: Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy has yet to say who will replace them but has shared that the director for the first film will be revealed in January
