How Did The Emotional Chewbacca Scene Happen in 'Star Wars' - Joonas Suotamo Explains

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker continues to rake in big money and almost touched the $1billion mark worldwide and even though the film hasn't received good reviews, there are some scenes in the film that certainly made a huge impact more than the others.

The one scene that was a total standout was Chewbacca's heartbreaking reaction to Princess Leia's passing. According to Chewbacca actor, Joonas Suotamo, the moment was just as painful for everyone on set.

I remember having some issues with my jaw being so sweaty that I had trouble opening the mouth of the Chewbacca mask. So, I was a nervous wreck underneath the mask,” Suotamo tells The Hollywood Reporter. “Everyone was really tense. It was agonizing to deal with that situation because we were essentially living the actual reality of it — that Carrie had passed — and now we were shooting the scene where her character passes. It was a very emotional day, and watching it is still very emotional for me.”

At the end of 2015’s The Force Awakens, fans were incensed when J.J. Abrams had Leia bypass Chewbacca in order to hug Rey (Daisy Ridley) after the loss of her newfound father figure, Han Solo. Such a snub echoed a similar moment in 1977’s A New Hope when Leia rewarded Luke and Han with Medals of Bravery but not Chewie. However, Suotamo reveals that The Force Awakens shot and cut a consolation scene involving Chewie and his grief over Han.

“For The Force Awakens, we actually shot a special scene — a consolation scene for Chewie — which didn’t make it into the finished film or the DVD. The thought process behind it was a little bit different than what ended up being in the film…”

We all miss Carrie Fisher as much.