If you’ve ever watched Star Wars: A New Hope, you might have noticed something curious during Princess Leia’s confrontation with Grand Moff Tarkin aboard the Death Star.
As she delivers the line, “Governor Tarkin, I should have expected to find you holding Vader’s leash…”, Leia, portrayed by Carrie Fisher, seems to adopt a British accent.
It’s a noticeable shift from her usual American accent, leaving many fans, including me, to wonder: Why is Princess Leia British in this scene?
So I have searched it up and found here is the reason why!
When Nervous, Carrie Fisher Adopted a British Accent
In an interview, Fisher mentioned that when she felt intimidated, she would unintentionally take on the accents of those around her.
Acting alongside the legendary Peter Cushing (Grand Moff Tarkin), who had a commanding British accent, Fisher was likely a bit nervous, and as a result, she mirrored his speech patterns.
In addition, Carrie Fisher studied at London’s Central School of Speech and Drama before landing her role as Princess Leia.
Growing up with British accents in her training environment may have influenced how she performed certain scenes.
When acting opposite Peter Cushing, Fisher might have felt the need to adopt a more formal tone, perhaps unintentionally slipping into the British accent she had been exposed to during her studies.
Another plausible reason for the accent shift is that Leia is taking on a more formal tone as a diplomat of Alderaan.
In this scene, she is addressing a high-ranking Imperial officer and representing her planet, so it makes sense that she would adopt a tone of authority.
A British accent, often associated with formality and nobility in Western media, may have helped Leia project a sense of command and superiority while standing up to Tarkin.