With hits like Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore and Taxi Driver under her belt at a young age, Jodie Foster was set early in her career.
But during a recent interview, Foster notes that she almost starred in a blockbuster that could’ve changed her entire life forever. It seems like she was in the running for Princess Leia in Star Wars when she was just around 14.
Appearing on Jimmy Fallon’s The Tonight Show this week, Foster looks back at turning down the iconic role that went to Carrie Fisher, stating: “They were going for a younger Princess Leia, but I had a conflict. I was doing a Disney movie, and I just didn’t want to pull out of the Disney movie because I was already under contract. So I didn’t do it.”
“[Carrie Fisher] did an amazing job,” adds Foster. “I don’t know how good I would have been. I might have had different hair. I might have gone with a pineapple.”
In case you are wondering, the Disney film she was filming at the time was Freaky Friday, released in 1976. Foster went on to have an iconic career with two Academy Awards and three BAFTA Awards, and is now in contention for a Best Supporting Actress nomination for Nyad at this year’s Academy Awards. She’s also toplining the fourth season of True Detective, which is currently airing on HBO.
