Star Wars: Episode IX pays homage to Carrie

Film to include unreleased footage of the late actor from Star Wars: The Force Awakens, her last appearance as Princess Leia

Actor Oscar Isaac says the upcoming Star Wars: Episode IX deals with actor Carrie Fisher’s death in a “really beautiful way”.

Fisher, who played Princess Leia in the film series, died in December 2016. To make her a part of the final instalment of the Skywalker saga, the makers had said they will use previously unreleased footage shot for Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

In an interview with Daily Beast, Isaac, 39, said, “The story deals with that quite a bit. It’s a strange thing to be on the set and to be speaking of Leia and not having Carrie around. There’s definitely some pain in that...It deals with the amazing character that Carrie created in a really beautiful way.” The actor, who plays Poe Dameron, further explained that “there’s a looseness and an energy to the way that we’re shooting this that feels very different”.

“It’s been really fun being back with JJ (Abrams) with all of us working in a really close way. I just feel like there’s an element of almost senioritis, you know?” Isaac added.

“Since everything just feels way looser and people aren’t taking it quite as seriously, but still just having a lot of fun. I think that energy is going to translate into a really great movie,” he added.

Star Wars: Episode IX, which will again feature Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, John Boyega, Lupita Nyong’o and Domhnall Gleeson, is set to be released in December 2019.

PHOTOS: ANDY KROPA/INVISION/AP; PAUL HACKETT/REUTERS Actor Oscar Isaac plays Poe Dameron in the Star Wars films; (left) late Carrie Fisher was nominated for several awards for her role in Star Wars films