The Rise of Skywalker Director Says Editing Carrie Fisher into the Film was 'Heartbreaking'

The late Carrie Fisher's role as General Leia Organa is essential to the Star Wars universe, and The Rise of Skywalker would continue to reflect just that. Her sudden passing left the trilogy's path uncertain but J.J. Abrams has found a way to include Fisher in the upcoming movie and have her legacy live on.

Abrams previously revealed that he used unseen clips from The Force Awakens in order to fill Fisher's absence in Episode IX. He didn't have a lot to work with though, since he claims there's only a total of 8 minutes of footage of the actress that he managed to reverse-engineer.

The director seemed to have found the right way to place these scenes within the movie and has managed to pull off and address both losses in the film. Speaking with Entertainment Weekly, Abrams shares details about his editing process and including clips of the late actress.

"We realized very early on, there was no way we could tell this story without Leia," Abrams said. He claimed that they would never think of recasting her, and a digital Leia was something they never wanted to try. The director also admitted that just saying Fisher passed away "felt like a cheat."

He went on about how the unused clips of Fisher were "like the gift of the gods." "So when you see her in the movie, it's her," Abrams added. He pointed out that the actress really is there, and is not some "crazy digital trickery."

Abrams admitted that working with her that way felt "odd." While he was cutting scenes in the editing room, it dawned on him that Fisher really is not with us anymore. He claims that not being able to have her be a part of the "ridiculous experience," for him, was "doubly heartbreaking."

It looks like Abrams did really find a good way in incorporating Fisher's scenes in Episode IX. Star Wars fans are excited for what's to come and what the director has in store in terms of Fisher's story.

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker premieres on December 20.

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