While talking about how much he missed Fisher, who died in 2016 at the age of 60, Abrams recalled working with her on his first Star Wars film, The Force Awakens.
It is common knowledge now that Princess Leia appears in the new film via unused Force Awakens footage, but obviously, no one knew that would be the case at the time of that film’s release. What’s more, no one could have known Abrams would return to direct Skywalker — that is except maybe Fisher.
“I wasn’t supposed to work on this film,” Abrams begins. “She passed away before Last Jedi was released. She wrote this autobiography, The Princess Diarist, and I remember reading in the end, a ‘special thanks to J.J, Abrams for putting up with me twice.’ I had never worked with her before Force Awakens and I wasn’t suppose to direct Episode IX. It was a very Carrie thing to write something like that and to somehow know. It was really strange.”
Abrams also told Colbert that The Rise of Skywalker was completed Sunday.
The Disney film is due in theaters Dec. 20.
Watch the segment below.
