Star Wars 9 is going to address Leia’s absence “in a really beautiful way”, hints Oscar Isaac

It’s an unfortunate elephant in the room, but knowing how Star Wars Episode 9 is going to deal with General Leia Organa after Carrie Fisher’s passing remains high on everyone’s must-know list for the final movie in the trilogy. While we do already know that J.J. Abrams will be using unused footage from Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Oscar Isaac has hinted that Fisher’s role in the movie may be pretty understated – but we’ll get an answer for her absence.

Speaking to The Daily Beast, the actor who plays Poe Dameron – who got a hefty slap from Leia in Star Wars: The Last Jedi – reveals: “The story deals with [Leia’s reduced role] quite a bit… It’s a strange thing to be on the set and to be speaking of Leia and having Carrie not be around. There’s definitely some pain in that.”

Even if we might not get as much Leia as we’d possibly like, we can be assured of a fine farewell for a beloved actress (and character) that has shown on our screens for what will be over 40 years come the release of Star Wars 9. Isaac teases that the story “deals with the amazing character that Carrie created in a really beautiful way.”

Whether that’s an off-screen death, or a quiet shuffling into the background – something that could definitely be attributed to Leia’s impromptu trip into the dark reaches of space in The Last Jedi – remains to be seen.

Still, it’s great to hear that Carrie Fisher’s presence will be heavily felt, and she’ll have a considerable impact on a movie that was always meant to give her an emotional send-off anyway. While her role is still somewhat unclear, one thing is for certain: There won’t be a dry eye in the house.

There's still a while until Star Wars 9, but fill in the time by keeping tabs on our upcoming movies list.

Bradley Russell

I'm the Senior Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, focusing on news, features, and interviews with some of the biggest names in film and TV. On-site, you'll find me marveling at Marvel and providing analysis and room temperature takes on the newest films, Star Wars and, of course, anime. Outside of GR, I love getting lost in a good 100-hour JRPG, Warzone, and kicking back on the (virtual) field with Football Manager. My work has also been featured in OPM, FourFourTwo, and Game Revolution.