Few actors have become as inseparable from a fictional character as Carrie Fisher was from Princess Leia Organa.
From the moment Fisher appeared in Star Wars: A New Hope (1977), Leia became one of the franchise's defining characters. Fisher returned for The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and Return of the Jedi (1983), cementing a legacy that would continue for decades.
Sadly, Fisher died in 2016. Fortunately, she had already returned as Leia for the Star Wars sequel trilogy, appearing in The Force Awakens (2015) and The Last Jedi (2017). She also appeared in The Rise of Skywalker (2019) through previously unreleased footage, allowing the character to remain part of the story following Fisher's death.
Fisher's death brought an end to her time filming new Star Wars material, but it did not immediately end Leia's presence in the franchise. With Star Wars being a massive multimedia franchise that includes animated shows and video games, Leia has been portrayed by several other performers over the years.
Julie Dolan voiced the character in Star Wars Rebels (2014–2018), while Shelby Young provided her voice in Star Wars Forces of Destiny (2017–2018). In Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016), a digitally recreated version of Fisher's likeness was superimposed over actress Ingvild Deila's face.
Leia was also brought into live action at a much younger age in Obi-Wan Kenobi (2022), with Vivien Lyra Blair portraying a child version of the character.
Now, Lucasfilm has once again found a new actress to portray the iconic princess.
Related: Disney+ Recasts Luke Skywalker After 49 Years, New ‘Star Wars’ Actor Confirmed
Aimee-Ffion Edwards Takes Over as Princess Leia
Disney, Lucasfilm, Welsh broadcaster S4C, and Creative Wales have announced the first-ever official Welsh-language version of Star Wars: A New Hope.
Titled Star Wars: Gobaith Newydd, the project will feature an entirely new Welsh voice cast as the 1977 classic is redubbed in Welsh ahead of the franchise's 50th anniversary in 2027.
Among the new performers is Welsh actor Aimee-Ffion Edwards, who takes over the role of Princess Leia from Fisher's original performance.
Edwards is best known for roles including Shirley Dander in Slow Horses, Shelby in Peaky Blinders, and Jenny Jones in Luther. She joins a cast that also includes Matthew Rhys as Han Solo, Rhys Ifans as Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Osian Morgan as Luke Skywalker.
Star Wars: Gobaith Newydd will premiere on S4C and its streaming platforms on Christmas Day, December 25, 2026.
While Edwards isn't replacing Fisher in a new live-action Star Wars production, the project nevertheless gives another performer the opportunity to step into one of Fisher's most iconic roles.
And after nearly five decades, Leia's story continues in another language.
What do you think of Aimee-Ffion Edwards taking over as Princess Leia? Let us know in the comments below!
