Daisy Ridley Confirms This Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker Scene Came From The Force Awakens Footage

Actress Carrie Fisher passed away in December of 2016 after shooting had concluded on Star Wars: The Last Jedi, with writer/director Rian Johnson opting to keep Leia Organa’s trajectory as it was intended to give Fisher a loving sendoff. This ignited a number of theories about how Leia would be depicted in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, with director J.J. Abrams admitting he would repurpose previously unseen footage from Star Wars: The Force Awakens to cobble together an on-screen presence for the character. Fans will wonder how fluidly this process works up until the movie lands in theaters, with star Daisy Ridley confirming the shot from the film’s teaser where she hugs Leia is one of these repurposed scenes.

“It’s not a million miles away from what this scene is,” Ridley shared with Vulture when discussing the differences between the film’s original context and its current use. “It was very sad. I found it very moving to watch it, because I do remember the original. And it’s a strange thing to do, for someone that’s not around anymore to be brought back to life. It’s eerie that it resonates so much with what the story is this time. It’s pretty amazing.”

The original context of the scene was likely related to the death of Han Solo, though we’ll probably never learn those explicit details. With Ridley claiming that the scene’s new usage is similar to its original purpose, we can’t help but worry that the encounter could be in response to another tragic loss. While fans saw Luke Skywalker become one with the Force at the end of The Last Jedi, it’s possible this scene will now be used to addressed Luke’s passing.

In addition to remembering the scene’s original context, Ridley also has fond and vivid memories of that day on set.

“She was actually whispering, ‘This is a fucking long hug,’” Ridley recalled of Fisher’s demeanor during that sequence. “I was trying to do my acting, like, ‘Oh my god, Carrie!’ There wasn’t any discussion about what we were gonna do.”

“We desperately loved Carrie Fisher,” Abrams shared in a statement when production on the film began. “Finding a truly satisfying conclusion to the Skywalker saga without her eluded us. We were never going to recast, or use a CG character. With the support and blessing from her daughter, Billie, we have found a way to honor Carrie’s legacy and role as Leia in Episode IX by using unseen footage we shot together in Episode VII.”

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker lands in theaters on December 20th.

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