After More Than a Decade of Disney’s Star Wars, One Recasting Stands Above the Rest

Ever since Disney acquired Lucasfilm in 2012, there has been an ongoing discussion regarding whether

Star Wars

Was it better before or after the House of Mouse took control, but regardless of your viewpoint, there’s one casting choice that stands out as superior to everything else.
Disney buying
Star Wars
It was evident that there was significant room for additional projects to emerge, as demonstrated by the growth of platforms like Disney+ and streaming TV services.

In fact,
Star Wars
has not debuted a movie or series
anyplace except for Disney+ starting from 2019’s
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
Many of the initiatives that
Star Wars
Content released in recent years has excelled at enhancing the well-established canon by offering detailed explorations into characters\’ backgrounds, uncovering their origins, and addressing gaps from previous material. These additions have been particularly appreciated by devoted fans.
Star Wars
shows like
The Mandalorian
and
Andor
have been expanding and diving into the lore behind some of the franchise\’s best characters and histories.

One such story,
Obi-Wan Kenobi
, delved into the missing years between the prequels and the original trilogies. The series brought back familiar faces such as Ewan McGregor’s Obi-Wan Kenobi and introduced viewers to Hayden Christensen reprising his role as Darth Vader and Joel Edgerton taking on the part of Owen Lars once again. Additionally, it showcased one of the most successful recasts within the franchise, reviving an iconic character perfectly.

Vivien Lyra Blair is absolutely perfect as the young Princess Leia.

The Discussion Regarding Recasting Shifted After Blair

For
Obi-Wan Kenobi
Initially, fans expected the series to focus on Obi-Wan’s adventures on Tatooine and include significant interactions with a young Luke Skywalker. Instead, the show brought Kenobi into contact with a younger Princess Leia Organa, portrayed in the series by Vivien Lyra Blair. At 12 years old, she was primarily recognized for her part in another film.
Bird Box
, but truly demonstrated her versatility in
Obi-Wan Kenobi
.

It would be challenging for any performer to take on a character as legendary as Princess Leia, yet Blair managed it effortlessly.

Blair infused her character with her natural charm and spiritedness. Her portrayal of Princess Leia significantly shaped our understanding of the character in subsequent installments. This was evident when viewers got their first glimpse of Leia alongside her birth parents, Breha and Bail Organa, in those later episodes.

Separately, we had immense knowledge about their bond and their personalities, but

Observing them together highlights the strong connection Leia shared with her parents.

Every character who interacted with Blair’s portrayal of Leia shared an immediate connection, which can be challenging even for seasoned performers to achieve.

Blair Showed That Replacements Can Succeed Even With Established Stars

A lot of people believed that recasting was not a good idea.

Following the passing of Carrie Fisher and the aging of the cast,
original
Star Wars
trilogy actors
There has been significant discussion regarding whether these roles should be recast. While
Solo: A Star Wars Story
recast two main
Star Wars
characters from Han Solo and Lando Calrissian,

m


any fans didn’t see the need to tell an origin story that recast one of the most recognizable characters in movie history

.After the
failure of
Solo
It appeared that Disney had no intention of recasting any other iconic characters.

However,

Following the success of Blair’s Leia, that discussion has reopened in a manner that might lead to more narratives centered around our beloved characters.
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characters.

As a young character was required for the role, discussions have persisted regarding how to approach this choice.
Star Wars
should do about Leia Organa in the
New Republic Era
.

Most recently, in
Ahsoka
season 1, Leia sent C-3PO in her stead to save Hera Syndulla, which avoided the need to recast for that specific moment. Many people, however, believe that moving forward, Leia should appear, and that it should be Carrie Fisher’s daughter, Billie Lourd, who takes over the role.

Carrie Fisher would have adored Vivien Lyra Blair off-screen as well.

Blair Possesses Fisher’s Determination Off-Camera

Before and during the
Obi-Wan Kenobi
press tour,

Vivien Lyra Blair won over audiences by frequently teasing her costar Ewan McGregor.

While it remains an entertaining spectacle, Blair’s knack for eliciting laughter from the audience brings to mind Carrie Fisher’s sharp-witted humor. They would have made quite the comical duo, and it’s evident that nobody on stage with them would have escaped unscathed from their perfectly timed jabs.

Given all the emphasis on maintaining the consistency of these characters across the whole story arc,
Star Wars
timeline
It\’s evident that performers portraying these legendary roles must fully adopt the essence of their characters. Simply attempting to mimic the original actors often yields unsatisfactory outcomes, whereas having a deep understanding of the character contributes significantly to delivering a more authentic portrayal.

Star Wars

certainly has experienced both successes and failures with recastings; however, Vivien Lyra Blair’s performance stands out as successful.
Obi-Wan Kenobi
serves as evidence that recasting should proceed, albeit with great care.