The death of Carrie Fisher in late 2016 left Star Wars fans orphaned by the irreplaceable Princess Leia. Irreplaceable? Maybe not so much. According to some rumors, Meryl Streep may well wear the outfit (and hairstyle) of the most iconic Princess in the Galaxy. Focus!
Since her passing, Carrie Fisher has been one of the most sensitive subjects for Lucasfilm, especially when it comes to Star Wars 9. Originally, Leia was to be at the center of the last episode of this trilogy (after an episode focused on Han Solo and one on Luke Skywalker). This disappearance therefore poses a real artistic but also ethical problem.
Disney / Lucasfilm having already announced that Carrie Fisher will not be digitally recreated, there remains only death or replacement for Princess Leia. That's where Meryl Streep (maybe) comes in. Would the multi-nominated Oscar-nominated actress (so many times it's become a joke) be a wise choice as a replacement? Let's take a look at the pros and cons of this intriguing rumor.
Meryl Streep as Leia: The arguments of the Light Side
First point to emphasize because it is perhaps the most obvious: Meryl Streep is one of the greatest actresses of her generation and even (dare we say it) of all time. The actress with three Oscars and twenty-one nominations would undeniably be great in such an iconic role.
Note a second argument that seems unimportant but could weigh in the balance: Meryl Streep is a friend of Carrie Fisher. It sounds trivial said like that but it is an essential element. Why? Because we can be sure that Meryl Sreep will honor the memory of Princess Leia and offer her the finale she deserves.
It should also be noted that the replacement of Carrie Fisher would allow Lucasfilm to stick to their initial plan, that is to say to put Leia forward for her baroud of honor. This situation that the production is experiencing is reminiscent of the debacle after the death of Heath Ledger following the filming of Batman – The Dark Knight and The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus. His death led to the urgent rewriting of The Dark Knight Rises, making it a decent but shaky work (and for Gilliam's film, his character was played by three different actors). Removing Leia so dry from a scenario where she was supposed to be predominant risks posing the same problem as Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy, making this Star Wars Postlogy more wobbly than it already is. This replacement is perhaps essential for the adventures of our heroes in this galaxy far, far away…
Last but not least, in favor of this replacement: a fan petition has been launched for Meryl Streep to take over. When you know how the Star Wars community is cautious about the slightest change (as evidenced by the abusive lynching of Star Wars 8 – The Last Jedi), it is rather good news to have this approval from a part of the fans.
Meryl Streep as Leia: The Dark Side Arguments
As obvious as this argument may seem, we must make a point: Meryl Streep does not look like Carrie Fisher!Meryl Streep is an excellent actress, but seeing her on screen as Princess Leia can be confusing for many people. In his defense, the lack of resemblance did not prevent Gary Oldman from being transformed into Winston Churchill (and winning an Oscar in the process). So why not a transformation of the actress?
But then again, transformation could pose an ethical problem. Indeed, the wound is still open for many fans who have not mourned their princess. Not to mention the family who may have a shock if Leia was recreated with great makeup. After all, refusing to do Carrie Fisher in CGI to finally remake it by grimacing Meryl Streep could be badly perceived by some people.
We must also take a factor into account, even if these remarks may make people cringe: a non-negligible part of Star Wars "fans" is in fact only a gathering of capricious brawlers, who do not miss an opportunity to belch their hatred as soon as the saga takes liberties. Certainly these energizers are not the most numerous, but they are by far the noisiest. Replacing Carrie Fisher with Meryl Streep would therefore give them a perfect opportunity to complain or even call for a boycott of episode 9 (remember that a petition had been put online to decanonize episode 8). The production company probably does not want to alienate part of its audience, it will not take this risk without a minimum of reflection.
Finally, this replacement would perhaps spoil all the "sacred" side of the character we cherish so much. No matter how talented Meryl Streep is, Carrie Fisher is and will remain our Princess Leia. The legendary trio Mark Hamill / Harrison Ford / Carrie Fisher has this little "we do not know what" irreplaceable that we will probably not be able to ignore. Perhaps it is better to let Leia Organa rest in peace with Carrie Fisher, despite this bitter taste of unfinished business in the saga.
However, if Carrie Fisher were not to be replaced and to die between episodes 8 & 9, let's at least hope that a tribute worthy of the name will be paid to her. The least we can do would be to open episode 9 on a funeral at the height of his character (and why not on Naboo? Planet where his mother Padmé Amidala rests).
Now we just have to wait and see what Disney/Lucasfilm's decision will be. How about you? Are you more of a Light Side or a Dark Side regarding this replacement? Star Wars 9 is scheduled for release on December 18, 2019 in France and will be (again) directed by J.J Abrams. In the meantime, you can find this galaxy far away next May with Solo – A Star Wars Story, second cinematic spin-off of the Star Wars universe (after the very good Rogue One – A Star Wars Story).
