Leia Organa

Lore & Background

Leia Organa was born to Senator Padmé Amidala of Naboo and Jedi Anakin Skywalker, who fell to the dark side to become Darth Vader. Following her mother's death at childbirth, Leia was adopted by Senator Bail Organa and Queen Breha of Alderaan. In Revenge of the Sith (2005), it is revealed that Obi-Wan Kenobi explained in an early Return of the Jedi draft that Luke's sister and their mother were sent to a distant star system for protection; the mother died, and the sister was adopted by the governor of Alderaan and his wife. In Return of the Jedi (1983), Leia learns she is Vader's daughter and Luke's twin. Later, in The Rise of Skywalker (2019), it is revealed that Luke trained her as a Jedi sometime after Return of the Jedi. Despite this training, she chose to lead the Resistance against the First Order rather than follow a traditional Jedi path.

Reader's Guide

Carrie Fisher was cast as Princess Leia at age 19, chosen over actors including Karen Allen, Glenn Close, Farrah Fawcett, Anjelica Huston, Amy Irving, Jessica Lange, Terri Nunn, Linda Purl, Meryl Streep, and Cindy Williams. Jodie Foster was offered the role but declined due to a Disney contract. Fisher described Leia as 'worried, angry, and snarky,' noting these traits were difficult to play; she preferred Han Solo's 'wry and sardonic' nature. Fisher called killing Jabba the Hutt her most satisfying acting moment.

Anthony Breznican of Entertainment Weekly identified Leia as a diplomat, spy, warrior, and undercover agent, while Fisher described her simply as a soldier. In 1983, Fisher told Rolling Stone that after Alderaan's destruction, Leia had no family or friends left—only the Rebellion. She claimed filmmakers made Leia angry to show strength. Alyssa Rosenberg of The Washington Post (2015) praised Leia's courage during imprisonment and torture, noting her conflict with Han stemmed from her need for authority versus his resistance.

Fisher later observed that Return of the Jedi made Leia 'more feminine' but also had her take off her clothes as part of a boys' fantasy.

Did You Know?

• In an early draft of the original film's script, rescuing Leia involved her hanging upside down with yellow eyes, an allusion to The Exorcist (1973).
• George Lucas originally intended for Luke to have a twin sister who was not Leia in an early Empire Strikes Back concept.
• Leia strangled Jabba the Hutt to death using the metal chain from her bikini outfit in Return of the Jedi.
• Carrie Fisher received a posthumous Saturn Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress for The Last Jedi.