--- title: Carrie Fisher Pressured to Lose Weight for Star Wars: Leia description: The 59-year-old actress was expected to drop over 35 pounds to play the character she originally portrayed 38 years ago. canonical: https://time.com/4131519/carrie-fisher-star-wars-weight-loss/ author: Megan McCluskey article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2015-12-01T20:41:14.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-19T07:41:33.613Z og:title: Carrie Fisher Was Pressured to Lose Weight for 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' og:description: "They don't want to hire all of me – only about three-quarters" og:url: https://time.com/4131519/carrie-fisher-star-wars-weight-loss/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt2748548f75ebe9f9/698873548e0601659d4638fd/carrie-fisher-lose-weight-leia.jpg?branch=production&width=594&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 594 og:image:height: 334 og:image:alt: Academy of Motion Picture Arts And Sciences' 7th Annual Governors Awards - Arrivals og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Carrie Fisher Was Pressured to Lose Weight for 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' twitter:description: "They don't want to hire all of me – only about three-quarters" twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt2748548f75ebe9f9/698873548e0601659d4638fd/carrie-fisher-lose-weight-leia.jpg?branch=production&width=594&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Carrie Fisher Reveals She Was Pressured to Lose Weight for _Star Wars: The Force Awakens_ > Sponsored content. 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Star Wars- The Force Awakens Trailer (Official)_  by [Megan McCluskey](https://time.com/author/megan-mccluskey/)  ## Megan McCluskey Staff Writer Dec 1, 2015 8:41 PM UTC  Actress Carrie Fisher attends the 7th annual Governors Awards at The Ray Dolby Ballroom at Hollywood & Highland Center on November 14, 2015 in Hollywood, California. Actress Carrie Fisher attends the 7th annual Governors Awards at The Ray Dolby Ballroom at Hollywood & Highland Center on November 14, 2015 in Hollywood, California. Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic  by [Megan McCluskey](https://time.com/author/megan-mccluskey/)  ## Megan McCluskey Staff Writer Dec 1, 2015 8:41 PM UTC Carrie Fisher said she was told to lose weight in order to reprise her role as Princess Leia in the upcoming _Star Wars: The Force Awakens_. The 59-year-old actress was expected to drop over 35 pounds to play the character she originally portrayed 38 years ago. The star spoke about the emphasis that Hollywood places on the physical appearance of female actresses and the pressure the industry puts on them to be thin. “They don’t want to hire all of me – only about three-quarters!” Fisher [told _Good Housekeeping_ U.K.](http://www.goodhousekeeping.co.uk/lifestyle/gh-women-celebrity-interviews/carrie-fisher) “Nothing changes, it’s an appearance-driven thing. I’m in a business where the only thing that matters is weight and appearance. That is so messed up. They might as well say get younger, because that’s how easy it is.” Fisher explained she did what was asked of her and lost the weight but felt conflicted about her decision. “When I do lose the weight, I don’t like that it makes me feel good about myself. It’s not who I am. My problem is they talk to me like an actress but I hear them like a writer,” she said. ### You'll Want These New Star Wars Toys Immediately  Star Wars Black Series; Kylo Ren Hasbro  Star Wars Black Series; Rey Hasbro  Star Wars Black Series; Finn Hasbro  Star Wars Black Series; First Order Stormtrooper Hasbro  Star Wars The Force Awakens Armor Up; Chewbacca Hasbro  Star Wars The Force Awakens Armor Up; Poe Hasbro  Star Wars The Force Awakens Armor Up; Finn Hasbro  Star Wars The Force Awakens; 12" Stormtrooper Hasro  Star Wars The Force Awakens; 12" Finn Hasbro  Star Wars The Force Awakens Build a Weapon; Tie Fighter Pilot Hasbro  Star Wars The Force Awakens Build a Weapon; Rebellion Pilot Hasbro  Star Wars The Force Awakens Build a Weapon; Rey Hasbro  Star Wars The Force Awakens Build a Weapon; Kylo Ren Hasbro  Star Wars The Force Awakens Build a Weapon; Capt. 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[ MUSIC ] [ SOUND ] Dispatch inquisitives to hunt the Rebels Empire's looking everywhere for us. We can't just run. We're being pulled out of hyperspace. It's a star destroyer. 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