SPOILER ALERT!
Star Wars: The Last Jedi contains many bittersweet moments, but perhaps none more so than the scenes involving Carrie Fisher as General Leia. Fisher died unexpectedly late last year, but her final scenes for the film were already shot meaning The Last Jedi did not need to be changed. But it did give double meaning to certain lines and moments (the ones that really hit me are Leia saying to Luke "I'm just glad you're here, at the end" and Luke saying to her "No one is ever really gone").
Fans of Fisher know that in addition to being a talented actress, she was also a talented writer and worked as a script doctor in Hollywood for many years. Back at Star Wars Celebration The Last Jedi writer/director Rian Johnson revealed that he would spend time with Fisher off the set working on the film's dialogue, saying he really related to her as a writer. Now, in an interview with The Daily Best, Johnson has revealed some of Fisher's contributions to the dialogue.
One of the lines she suggested was the line "I know, I changed my hair" when she finally sees Luke again. The line works beautifully as a call back to Han's line in The Force Awakens and as a way for Leia to let Luke know that all is forgiven.
Another line she suggested was having both Leia and Laura Dern's Vice Admiral Holdo say "May the Force be with you" during their emotional goodbye. Dern also made significant contributions to that scene, Johnson revealed, coming up with the line, "Sure you can. You taught me how," after Leia says she can't take any more losses.
According to Johnson,
"That whole Holdo scene, that goodbye scene was actually completely
rewritten with Carrie and with Laura. The three of us got
together and worked through it. And the real heart of that scene came
from Laura. It was her saying, 'I just feel like, from my character to
Leia, but also me to Carrie, I want to express what she means to me. I
want to express my gratitude.' That’s one that may be the most powerful, oddly for me, especially now
watching them. I’m just so happy we were able to get that."
While The Last Jedi was not expected to be Fisher's last by any means, the scenes in the film work unexpectedly as a beautiful send off to the character that celebrate her legacy and impact both on the saga and on pop culture in general.
Star Wars: The Last Jedi is in theaters now!
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