“Star Wars” lets Princess Leia age realistically: Is this an alternate Hollywood universe?

[Xipe Totec]

The most breathtaking moment in the new trailer for “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” trailer doesn’t involve explosions or lightsabers or ominous references to the Dark Side. It’s an eyeblink-long shot of Princess Leia herself, Carrie Fisher, in the embrace of Harrison Ford’s Han Solo. It’s a moment of a weary-looking woman with graying hair and lines on her face. Holy science fiction, Hollywood — somewhere, in a galaxy far, far away, a grown woman has been given permission to look like a grown woman. I want to go to that planet!

Fisher, who turns 59 this week, has for years been a sardonic and brutally honest chronicler of her own struggles with addiction, bipolar disorder (including a hospitalization just two years ago), and weight — all while working in an industry that isn’t known for being easy on even seemingly perfect women. A few years ago, when the vicious cracks about Fisher resembling Jabba the Hut (actual sexist BS trolling entertainment story) were hitting peak cruelty, she became a spokesperson for Jenny Craig.



http://www.salon.com/2015/10/20/star_wars_lets_princess_leia_age_realistically_is_this_an_alternate_hollywood_universe/


Her expression is so moving to me. And she is so beautiful.

[Travis_0004]

1. I would imagine that star was had better anti aging techniques

After all, Yoda looked pretty good for 900 years old.

[Xipe Totec]

2. We don't know how much time has elapsed in the Star Wars timeline. Perhaps 900 years? nt

[Xithras]

28. Actually we do. Abrams said it's about 30 years after Return of the Jedi

And, since Return of the Jedi was released in 32 years ago in 1983, it means that he's basically allowed the characters to age in real time.

[AngryAmish]

3. Breathtaking....really?

Internet hyperbole is very tiresome and juvenile. One hopes this giant baby will learn to write one day.

[Xipe Totec]

5. ... Is this satire, or auto reflection? nt

[msongs]

15. it could have "jaw dropping" lol nt

[AngryAmish]

16. Perhaps "amazeballs"?

One Weird Trick That They Don't Want You To Know!

[Codeine]

17. Everyone says "LOL"

but I honestly laughed out loud when I read your post.

[liberal_at_heart]

4. I doubt their intentions are altruistic here. They wanted to bring back the original cast members.

Like it or not that means bringing back an aging actress.

[Xipe Totec]

6. Interesting way to judge art - Not whether it has impact, but what the motivations were

[liberal_at_heart]

8. Don't get me wrong. I am glad to see it. I just don't expect it to catch on. I wish it would. I just

don't expect it. We need more older actresses who own their own studios so they can have the freedom to produce films with older actresses. A lot of them have the money to do it. I hope they will.

[Xipe Totec]

9. Inside Amy Schumer - Last F**kable Day - Uncensored

[liberal_at_heart]

13. I remember seeing that. That is freakin hilarious.

[Xipe Totec]

19. Yes, it had me in stitches too

But the message is profound.

Amy is holding a mirror up to Hollywood.

[yuiyoshida]

20. lol

[restorefreedom]

27. that was both funny,

and sadly right on target

[LongTomH]

23. What about......

71 year old Blythe Danner in I'll See You In My Dreams
75 year old Lily Tomlin in Grandma
or any movie featuring the incredible Helen Mirren

[liberal_at_heart]

36. It's weird how it seems to work. Once you hit a certain age you reach the "Damn she looks

good for her age" category. I think it is the in between ages such as the 30, 40, and 50 year old actresses that lose the most parts due to studios wanting younger actresses.

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

7. They also brought back Mark Hamill, who doesn't exactly look like he did 35 years ago.

The fans wanted the old cast back for at least cameos.

Harrison Ford, I have to say, still looks right as Han.

[Volaris]

30. Mark Hamill hasn't aged well by Hollywood's standards, but at least JJ

has the good sense to let these characters actually be older versions of themselves. Marks beard LOOKS like the older version of Jedi Master Badass that Luke would be by now, and I would think that whatever the plot of the film, spending the last 30 years trying to rebuild a GALACTIC-WIDE FUNCTIONAL GOVERNMENT probably wasn't exactly great for Leia's health or stress-level lol.

It's not a tactic that one could pull off with most other film sequels....but Star Wars ISNT 'most other film sequels', and as a fan I appreciate that the production crew understands that.

I wasn't sure about Abrhams for a while..Lost was a mess and Cloverfield was about the saddest excuse for a monster flick I've ever seen.
But the deft-ness with which the Trek re-boot was handeled was about as flawless as it could have been, and the fact that he basically demanded that Lucas be locked out of the creative process before he signed on to Star Wars convinced me that this project was put in good hands.

[Marr]

37. I agree with all of that.

Especially the bits about the Star Trek reboot and locking Lucas out of the creative process for Star Wars.

Lucas is an incredible art director-- but that's really about it. I recently read something about what a collaborative effort the first Star Wars movie was. Apparently his wife at the time reshaped a lot of the plot and convinced him to change much of the pacing. The studio obviously had tons of influence. Other directors convinced Lucas to change all sorts of things. Even the distinctive look of the film, with what was then a new aesthetic-- 'beat up, functional, lived-in sci-fi'-- was mostly a matter of coping with the limited budget. Lucas originally wanted a sleek, shiny, Buck Rogers sort of look.

The much-reviled prequel trilogy is Lucas' Star Wars without compromise. Not very good stuff.

[backscatter712]

39. Mark Hamill's done pretty well for himself.

He's landed lots of voice-acting roles. Most famously, he was the Joker in Batman: The Animated Series and other Batman-related animated shows and video games, and did a spectacular job at it.

Also bear in mind that he's in his 60's, and soon after Star Wars was filmed, he got in a bad car wreck that messed up his face, so he needed surgeries to fix it. Some of his scars made it into The Empire Strikes Back.

[mythology]

42. Going with antiseptic clean actors didn't work out

In the prequels. Granted not the biggest problem with the prequels but it was representative of the problems.

[TDale313]

10. Thanks for posting this.

Some... interesting... responses in this thread. I was so thrilled to see her, and I do think we don't get enough images of mature women- particularly in Sci Fi. And yeah, the decision to bring back the original cast gave us this, it's still a positive thing.

[Xipe Totec]

11. Thank you for the support; I was starting to wonder if I warped into an alternate universe

Mature women are beautiful. It's time we let them know it.

[exboyfil]

12. Interesting thing is they make

Melissa McBride look older in The Walking Dead than 50. It is actually a great role. She is a fan favorite. Arguably the most dangerous member of Rick's group.

Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) still looks great at any age. I am looking forward to catching up with my old friends. I think this movie is going to be huge. Hope springs eternal even after a near miss (Return of the Jedi) and three very weak prequels.

[Volaris]

32. That weakness was mostly Lucas, for a variety of reasons

Watch the animated Clone Wars. They're better as a whole than the EP I, II, and III.
I haven't had time to sit down to watch them yet, but people also tell me that SW Rebels is excellent as well

[mythology]

43. As a friend said about the second Crow movie

Two hours of me scratching my ass would be better than the prequels (especially episode 1 with its obnoxious racial stereotypes)

[Ilsa]

14. I noticed her realistic aging when I saw the trailer.

Very pleased that yhey let her be a mature woman, not a CGI creation.

[Xipe Totec]

18. Yes!!! That pleased me too!

I think that's what the article is all about; an opening gambit to a different perspective on human beauty.

[Baclava]

21. Kill off all the old crew!...The Republic is falling

It's the New Millennium

[frylock]

33. New Millennium Falcon?

[Baclava]

51. right here

[Spitfire of ATJ]

22. And no cinnabons too!!!

Hey!!! My eyes are in here!!

[Fred Sanders]

24. No one seems to have even noticed Harrison Ford is not a spring chicken, either....which kind of

makes the point of the article that Holloywood major studio film producers are mysognists, as well.

[Xipe Totec]

25. Ding!

X-actly!

[niyad]

45. nss

[Omaha Steve]

26. K&R!

[no_hypocrisy]

29. Reminds me of Audrey Hepburn and Sean Connery in "Robin and Marion"

[hifiguy]

50. Some women (and men) NEVER lose it.

Hepburn, Loren and Bacall were (are, in Sophia's case) always gorgeous.

[notadmblnd]

31. I think she looks like her mother

nt

[Humanist_Activist]

34. I just want to see Princess Leia as a Jedi Knight, its hinted at in the trailers...

that she might have a lightsaber, I want to see her kick ass and take names.

Also, its established in the original trilogy that she's force sensitive, so can be trained as a Jedi, not having her as one will be a disappointment.

[jeff47]

38. It's not clear they went that route.

In the old "expanded universe", she got a little bit of force and lightsaber training from Luke, but was so swamped holding the new Galactic Senate together that she never really progressed to "kick ass and take names".

But part of the reboot that came with these movies was to throw away the entire EU cannon. They've got a blank slate to work with.

[cally]

35. On Brittish shows, I always notice the realistic looking women

I think it's one of the reasons I enjoy them since they seem to use great actors with many years of acting experience and life. They look like real women. Often better actors than the young 20 year old women.

[randome]

40. So long as we don't have Jar Jar in a bikini, I might actually see this movie.

Not a fan of Star Wars but at least it's not from George Lucas. But I'll need to see some reviews first.
[hr][font color="blue"][center]All things in moderation, including moderation.[/center][/font][hr]

[Bradical79]

41. It's a good shot

Lucas probably would have tried to cgi her back to youth going by the old expanded fiction :-P I recall one of the books emphasizing modern star wars medical technology allowing her to remain young and sexy at the age of 70.

[niyad]

44. k and r--thank you so much for posting this--have the date marked, one of the few times

I plan on seeing a film on its release date.

[Nye Bevan]

46. Didn't Rose age realistically in "Titanic" back in 1998? (nt)

[Xipe Totec]

47. Yes, you are correct, she did. However, ...

The difference is that in this Star Wars movie the actress is being allowed to appear in something approaching her true chronological age.

[Dr. Strange]

48. Carrie turns 59 today.

Happy Birthday, Carrie!

[Xipe Totec]

49. Many happy returns of the day! nt