Carrie Fisher’s performance as Princess Leia Organa made her a Star Wars icon, however, 10 other actors who auditioned nearly played the character instead. Many of these actors would find success in other movie and TV franchises despite not playing Leia, and even so, it’s fascinating to consider how Star Wars may have changed forever if someone else had embodied the character. It’s hard to imagine Leia without Carrie Fisher, especially after she defined the character for 40 years before her passing. Still, just like the popularity of what-if scenarios in Star Wars fiction, alternatives to the franchise’s real-life history are just as fun to explore.
As a central character of the Skywalker saga, having Leia played by another actor may very well have changed the franchise’s direction. The chemistry between characters can shape where the writers will take the story, and with the wide variety of talent that auditioned for Leia, a different actor could’ve influenced George Lucas to make different creative decisions in the original trilogy. Since many of these actors went on to star in their own franchises, some of the biggest movies in history would’ve been altered as well. With that in mind, here are 10 actors who almost played Princess Leia in Star Wars.
10 Lalla Ward
Lalla Ward is best known for playing Romana II on Doctor Who from 1979 to 1981, just a few years after she was considered to play Leia in Star Wars. She had a number of movie roles in the years before that, with her last film credit being Princess Elizabeth in 1977’s The Prince and the Pauper. Ward switched to TV acting after her appearance in Doctor Who, making a few appearances over the years, which included returning to play Romana on a number of occasions. Given her prominence in the Doctor Who franchise, it’s interesting to consider how it and Star Wars would’ve been different had she played Leia.
9 Jane Seymour
Many actors who auditioned to play Leia would go on to have prosperous careers in the following decades, including Jane Seymour. Prior to being considered for Star Wars, Seymour became known in the early 1970s for roles such as Solitaire in Live and Let Die and Princess Farah in Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger, released the same year as Star Wars. These roles perfectly demonstrate why she’d be considered for Princess Leia, though Seymour appeared in a different sci-fi franchise when she played Serina in Battlestar Galactica. Seymour’s most recent acting credits include Molly in A Christmas Spark and the title role in Harry Wild.
8 Geena Davis
Despite her first acting credit being April Page in 1982’s Tootsie, Geena Davis was also considered to play Leia in Star Wars. Davis worked as a model before she transitioned to acting, which fits with Lucas’ desire to cast relatively unknown actors for his movie. Leia wasn’t the only famous role she was considered for, as she read for Sarah Conner in The Terminator, though she later had many notable roles of her own. Davis’ most recent credits include Munca in Fairyland, Dr. Nicole Herman in Grey’s Anatomy, and the voice of Huntara in She-Ra and the Princesses of Power where, funnily enough, her character claims that she’s “no princess.”
7 Sigourney Weaver
Before she starred as Ellen Ripley in the Alien franchise, Sigourney Weaver was considered to star as Leia in the Star Wars franchise. This would’ve altered both sci-fi franchises, but Weaver’s film credits prove that she would’ve excelled at embodying Leia’s strong leadership and quick initiative in the heat of battle. Outside the Alien movies, Weaver became known for her role as Dana Barret in Ghostbusters, as well as other movie roles such as Dian Fossey in Gorillas in the Mist. Her most recent sci-fi franchise role is Dr. Grace Augustine in James Cameron’s Avatar franchise, where she also played Kiri in the sequel.
6 Kim Basinger
Kim Basinger was considered to play Leia after she began her career as a TV actor in 1976. However, Basinger wouldn’t make her feature film debut until 1981’s Hard Country, primarily starring in made-for-TV movies before that. Just like Jane Seymour, Basinger gained recognition as a Bond Girl when she played Domino Petachi in 1983’s Never Say Never Again, finishing the decade in another popular franchise as Vicki Vale in Tim Burton’s Batman. Her other notable film roles include Celeste Martin in My Stepmother Is an Alien, Lynn Bracken in L.A. Confidential, and Jessica Martin in Cellular.
5 Anjelica Huston
Known for playing very eccentric characters, it would’ve been incredibly fascinating to see Anjelica Huston’s take on Princess Leia. She gained recognition for her role as Maerose Prizzi in Prizzi’s Honor before going on to star in multiple films and TV shows. Some of her notable roles include Morticia Addams in The Addams Family, Rodmilla in Ever After: A Cinderella Story, and the Director in John Wick Chapter 3 – Parabellum. While she may not have landed the part of Princess Leia, she’ll voice a character called Sith Mother in Star Wars: Visions season 2.
4 Sissy Spacek
Sissy Spacek also read for the part of Leia in Star Wars, but this wasn’t the role she was most interested in. Spacek wanted to play the title role in Carrie, but she agreed to audition for Leia since Brian DePalma and Lucas were holding their auditions at the same time. She succeeded in convincing DePalma, and Spacek went on to star as Carrie White, which earned her an Academy Award nomination for best actress. Her other notable film credits include Loretta Lynn in Coal Miner’s Daughter, Ruth Fowler in In the Bedroom, and Missus Walters in The Help.
3 Cindy Williams
Known for her role as Shirley Feeney on Happy Days, Cindy Williams auditioned for Leia after having worked with Lucas on American Graffiti. However, this also resulted in her not getting the part, as Lucas didn’t want to cast actors who had already appeared in his movie (Harrison Ford ended up being the exception). This ended up working to Williams’ advantage, as she continued to play Shirley Feeney in Happy Days and its spin-off Laverne & Shirley. Williams continued to appear in movies and TV shows until her death in 2023, including a role as Grandma in the upcoming series Sami.
2 Jodie Foster
Another actor considered for Leia was Jodie Foster, though she likely wouldn’t have been able to accept the role if it was offered to her. Foster starred in eight different movies from 1976 to 1977, including Taxi Driver and Freaky Friday, which would’ve left very little time for filming Star Wars. It’s worth noting that Foster was 14 at the time, whereas Fisher was 19, so it’s hard to imagine her playing Leia. Then again, Padmé Amidala was only 14 in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, so it’s interesting to consider how Leia’s story in the original Star Wars trilogy would’ve been affected by a younger actor.
1 Meryl Streep
One of the most notable actors to be considered for Leia was Meryl Streep, who had primarily worked in theatre at the time of her audition. Despite not landing the role in Star Wars, Streep still made her film debut in 1977’s Julia, going on to become an Academy Award-winning actress for several prominent film roles. There was even a petition for Streep to replace Fisher as Leia in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker following her death, but the filmmakers chose to use deleted footage from Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Streep’s most recent credits include President Orlean in Don’t Look Up and Alice in Let Them All Talk.