CLASSIC BLOG: PRINCESS JODIE AND THE HAUNTING OF CARRIE FISHER!

An intriguing What If? Jodie Foster as Princess Leia from the original STAR WARS. Image composition: Chris Baker.

She kept her stomach butterflies in check whilst swinging across a chasm thirty five feet above a studio floor, would wear two 'Danish buns' on her head with the kind of charm and regalaty no one else could match, and near-confidently used potentially dangerous live firing blanks weaponry with game and gusto within enclosed spaces against heavily costumed can-hardly-see Imperial Stormtroopers rushing against her. The young 19 year old Carrie Fisher would equally show great aplomb when it was discovered that there could be no underwear in space and that her natural assets would have to be reined down with gaffer tape! Additionally, during and between STAR WARS films and filming, she would later fight and re-fight, then control, a deadly bulimic condition and drug induced addiction that she had deliberately, as well as in-deliberately, found herself caught up in, then managed to believably look like she was chained up to a giant super slug creature whilst still oozing tons of on screen sex appeal, in ways that would last for the next twenty five years plus. 

All the above (plus the comedic suffering of having an action figure with a facial likeness more akin with Eddie Munster) to show for herself in her iconic playing of Leia Organa, and yet there'd still be one all powerful anxiety, looming large within her heart and soul, to haunt the ever terrific Carrie Fisher to this day-and one that she will never seemingly get over. That time in April/May 1976, newly arrived in England, when she was absolutely convinced that she wasn’t right to play the soon iconic role of Princess Leia Organa (and had even been told that by one of the STAR WARS crew (presumed to be one of the casting people-whoever it was, shame on you!)), felt she was too fat and that her performance wasn’t right from the get-go-that she would ultimately be replaced by George Lucas and Gary Kurtz with the more popular, seemingly more audience appealing teenage actress Jodie Foster-already a sensation at the age of 12 for her mature performance as the prostitute Iris Steensma in TAXI DRIVER, as well as soon giving an equally superlative performance as the nightclub singer Tallulah in Alan Parker’s 1976 kid’s musical/comedy fantasy BUGSY MALONE (opposite Scott Baio). 

And yet, recent evidence comes to light that Miss Fisher should never have worried about the possibility-that Miss Foster was never, ever going to be in STAR WARS, and that the chances of her having taken the part were about as remote as England, at least so far as by 2009, ever winning another World Cup soccer tournament!!!, as evidence from an issue of the UK’s EMPIRE film magazine (October 2007) unearths some intriguing new information from an interview they conducted with the actress whilst she was promoting her revenge/vigilante movie THE BRAVE ONE,  that will hopefully help shatter and destroy Carrie’s previous anxieties and nightmares that have haunted her to this day (and mentioned numerous times in things like THE EMPIRE OF DREAMS documentary from 1994: “Nope-still too tubby-bring in Jodie Foster!!”).

Here’s the interview section…

EMPIRE (Ian Nathan): If you’d gotten the role of Princess Leia back in 1976, how do you imagine your career would have been different?

FOSTER: So, Carrie Fisher would be doing what I’m doing now? I don’t know. Had I done STAR WARS, first of all, my kids would love me way more –they just love STAR WARS. I do think my mom would have made a really big point for me to go on and do really serious other movies to get out of the whole STAR WARS thing. I’m not sure I would have done the second or third.

EMPIRE: Have you actually ever thought about it?

FOSTER: Never did, because I really didn’t get that close. They offered me the movie and asked my about my availability and I was like, “I’m sorry, I’m not available, I’m under contract at Disney and I can’t do it.”

EMPIRE: Your life could have been so different.

FOSTER; Yeah, it all could have been different. There are all sorts of other ways it could have been different, too. I mean, all the movies that all of us do that could have completely changed your life…But you know what? I only need to have one career. I only need to make the movies that I make and honestly, I don’t think I’m going to be on my deathbed going, like, “Damn! I didn’t do STAR WARS!”

So, it seems that, though Lucas and/or FOX (probably the latter, wanting more familiar stars to appear in the movie) at least talked with Jodie about the possibility of the Leia role early on in Pre-Production, the talented actress would not have been available to play the part anyway. 

Carrie, we hope that you have read this information and can now sleep easily.

You may like it at times, then again you may not, but facts are that you are the definite person/actress to bring Princess Leia to life. No one else could, or ever would, come close to the screen magic you brought to the screen in the STAR WARS Trilogy!

UPDATE -2012. Christopher Walken, the alternate choice by Lucas for Han Solo, recently revealed in an interview with the British men's style magazine SHORTLIST that he did a test as Han Solo with Jodie Foster.

'THE CLONE WARS" SEASON THREE: SWA's TOP FIVE EPISODES - NO 3: "THE CITADEL"

Obi-Wan and Captain Rex look down into the abyss, and another of the traps located around The Citadel.

Our Jedi heroes and their loyal Clone Troopers face their biggest challenge yet when they enter the asteroid field encircled, dangerous volcanic world of THE CITADEL-our number three entry on the Top Five episodes of THE CLONE WARS SEASON THREE (now available on box set Blu-ray and DVD from WARNER BROTHERS)- traversing the myriad traps set by it's mastermind controller and his legions of deadly droids, in order to rescue a captured Jedi Master.

And here's five great viewing reasons why you should join them on their quest...

1. Classic movie referencing. From vintage Japanese Kurosawa movies and westerns, to iconic war-time based Alistair Maclean novel to film adaptations like THE GUNS OF NAVARONE and WHERE EAGLES DARE, THE CLONE WARS hasn't shied away in its enthusiasm in adapting classic action and adventure elements and locales from the past and present and giving them a unique STAR WARS twist or reinterpretation- a move which fans of all ages have enjoyed. THE CITADEL certainly has similarities to the aforementioned WHERE EAGLES DARE-one of my all-time favourite movies anyway- where our heroes have to break into an impenetrable Nazi fortress in hostile climes and rescue a captured Military dignitary, and its all the better for it. I'm next looking forward to THE CLONE WARS doing ICE STATION ZEBRA!

2. Classic Trilogy referencing. The hard working creative guys and gals who make this series are just as much loving devotees to the original Classic Trilogy as we are, and this episode is easily one of the most satisfactory examples yet in their dedicated showcasing, what with the way they link so much impressive visual continuity from EPISODEs IV-VI into the CLONE WARS universe. The Citadel interior has lighting and design specifications very similar to that of the original Death Star: the familiar looking control rooms, cell bays and corridors are littered with that previous films observation cameras, wall weapons and Mouse Droids from the detention block area of EPISODE IV, and, of course, there's the now classic carbon freezing scene from EMPIRE given a new spin, this time for heroic use (and obviously remembered by Anakin for the future!), as our brave strike team use it to pierce the planetary defences of the Citadel world (an idea conceived by ex-series story editor Henry Gilory for an earlier CLONE WARS comic book that was well worth revisiting). Finally, how can we not mention the welcome return of EPISODE III and IV's young and snidely Outland Regions Governor to-be, Captain Tarkin (as voiced by Stephen Stanton), who, with an intriguing foreshadowing relationship with Anakin, we're sure to see in future episodes of the series as it nears the shocking events of REVENGE OF THE SITH.

The scheming Osi Sobek springs a new trap for the Jedi.

3. Christopher Walken as a STAR WARS villain! Yep, I never thought that such a thing would happen-or be so successful-either! But skilled voice artist/current Obi-Wan Kenobi James Arnold Taylor's spot on vocal impersonation of the famous actor-the almost Han Solo from 1976 (also iconically impersonated by Kevin Spacey for Saturday Night Live back in 19997)- worked very well for the new villain of Osi Sobek (whose name surely has intriguing foundations in Egyptian mythology). Whoever came up with the inspired idea of bringing voice and character together should be congratulated. Sobek proves an intriguing and enjoyable new baddie for the series within the three episode arc, full of high pitched over confidence and intelligence but showing his unrelenting venom for the Jedi/Clone Troopers who tread into his fearsome territory. Quick to anger, he soon shows sadistic and delighted glee in initiating his lethal traps, many deadly weapons- lithe and constant Super Commando Droids and Anooba beasts against them- within and outside his seemingly invincible fortress (built around a once Jedi containment facility- an intriguing idea that I hope someone fleshes out in a book some day). Fearful of failure to Count Dooku, and prone to great anger, especially at the incompetent Battle Droids and technology that go on to fail him, his overconfidence and ego eventually brings about his ultimate demise, along with an audience cheer in the process, via a classic lightsaber chest spearing from a bold Ahsoka Tano.

4. Clone action! After a dry spell of Clone conflicts since earlier in the season, this episode, and the two to follow, certainly compensate for the oversight and deliver the goods to audiences keenly wanting to see their favourite trooper characters in infiltration and action, of which Captain Rex certainly gets some great Clint Eastwood-esque moments of bravery and general cool appeal, alongside some classic lightsaber swishing and ingenuity wielded by the Jedi (and a special nod here to Artoo Detoo!) as they break in then fight back against almost overwhelmingly impossible escape odds within this super powered labyrinth and its hostile outer environment. Death is but a heartbeat away, though, as, alongside several other faceless soldiers who die in this mission (and in the most horrible ways, too!), one of the series most popular Clones heroically buys the farm in the second episode, whilst trying to help his comrades escape. Its a shocking and actually unexpected scene (the lone Clone helmet on the floor being an effective and subtle visual moment), and a good and important move by the series writers/behind the scenes team in reminding fans that, as this particular storyline and series continues, the danger is real and that none of the popular supporting cast is truly safe or indestructible...

Prior to his capture, Jedi Master Even Piell readies himself for Separatist attack.

5. Jedi Master Even Piell. Barely glimpsed in EPISODE ONE, but given some further screen time in the first CLONE WARS animated series from Genndy Tartakovsky, the diminutive but no less powerful Even Piell is one of those Jedi characters that fans have been waiting to see get a slice of the action pie for some time now (alongside Saesee Tiin and Adi Gallia-both of whom appear in this tales breathless finale), and his story arc/ appearance in The Citadel Trilogy doesn't disappoint. As brave and agile as his fellow Jedi-and with very cool, almost Tasmanian Devil-like reflexes when fighting STAP-based Battle Droids- Piell (voiced by Blair Bess) has a shrewd intelligence and practicality about him, as well as strong mental prowess (a keeper of one half of the Republic's important hyper space routes no less!) and a deadpan wit. Resisting his Separatist interrogators (in which he almost loses his only remaining eye to a Torture Droid-another great moment of darkness within a family orientated series), and then fearlessly fighting alongside his Jedi rescuers, his ultimately final and exciting battle alongside Ahsoka against Sobek's Crab Droids, and then against one of the unleashed Anooba beasts that viciously slays him, is well handled by the shows animators. As Anakin and Obi-Wan lower his wrapped dead body for an honourable cremation into the planets lava flow, we know that the secret knowledge the noble Piell protected to the end is now in safe hands with Ahsoka Tano.

THE CLONE WARS Season Three is now available on Blu-ray and DVD from October 17th. A box set of the complete Season's One to Three is also available in both formats.