Setting the Stage: Star Wars, 1977 and Princess Leia’s Costume
In 1977, a 19-year-old Carrie Fisher donned Princess Leia’s flowing white gown on the set of Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope. This now-iconic dress was long, shapeless, and undeniably white. Fisher later confessed she wasn’t a fan of the outfit – “I wore that damn white thing for the whole first movie!” she quipped, lamenting that it was the only costume Leia got to wear. The young actress’s frustration is understandable; the dress was not only plain but also presented some unique wardrobe challenges.
Despite Star Wars being a space fantasy, creator George Lucas was oddly concerned with certain “realistic” details. One such detail was the matter of undergarments (or lack thereof) in outer space. The costume’s thin fabric and the bright studio lighting made traditional underwear problematic – any visible lines or straps would have disrupted Leia’s ethereal look. Instead, the wardrobe department resorted to some makeshift magic. Fisher was asked to tape down her chest with gaffer’s tape under that gown, since a bra couldn’t be worn. As she later joked, “No breasts bounce in space, there’s no jiggling in the Empire!”. Little did she know this was only the beginning of the Star Wars underwear saga.
“There’s No Underwear in Space”: George Lucas’s Unusual Costume Rule
The most infamous directive came straight from George Lucas himself. On Fisher’s very first day of filming, Lucas took one look at her costume and delivered a surprise wardrobe edict. “George comes up to me the first day of filming,” Carrie recalled, “and he takes one look at the dress and says, ‘You can’t wear a bra under that dress.’” Startled, she replied, “Okay, I’ll bite. Why?” Lucas’s matter-of-fact answer has since passed into legend: “Because… there’s no underwear in space.”
By any measure, this was a pretty bizarre explanation – a mix of sci-fi world-building and deadpan humor. Fisher was understandably perplexed. No underwear in space? In a galaxy filled with talking droids and telepathic Jedi, the only unrealistic thing, apparently, would be a princess wearing a bra. Lucas delivered this pronouncement with a straight face, leaving Fisher both amused and unconvinced. It certainly wasn’t the answer she expected from her director, but she went along with it. The bra was banished, the gaffer tape came out, and the mythos of “no underwear in space” was born.
Carrie Fisher’s Humorous Retellings of the Bra Ban
Carrie Fisher didn’t keep this behind-the-scenes absurdity to herself. Over the years, she recounted the story with her signature wry humor, turning an awkward costume note into a beloved anecdote. In her 2008 memoir and one-woman show Wishful Drinking, Fisher hilariously detailed the exchange with Lucas. She set the scene for readers: the all-powerful Star Wars creator laying down an outlandish underwear ban, and a young actress trying to wrap her head around it. The punchline—“there’s no underwear in space”—never failed to get a laugh.
Fisher didn’t stop at just quoting Lucas’s line; she built on it. After some years had passed, Lucas eventually offered her a pseudo-scientific reason for his no-underwear rule. “In space you get weightless, and so your flesh expands,” he explained, “but your bra doesn’t – so you get strangled by your own bra,” Fisher recounted Instead of rolling her eyes, Fisher saw comic gold in this. She quipped that if that were the case, it would be a spectacular way to go. “Now I think that this would make for a fantastic obit,” she joked, “so I tell my younger friends that no matter how I go, I want it reported that I drowned in moonlight, strangled by my own bra.” This morbidly funny wish became one of Fisher’s most famous lines – and indeed, after her untimely passing in 2016, many tributes lovingly referenced her self-penned “bra strangulation” obituary gag.
Fisher’s sharp tongue also immortalized the anecdote in public forums. Take the example of the 2005 AFI Lifetime Achievement Award ceremony honoring George Lucas. Fisher took the stage to “roast” her former director in a speech that has since become the stuff of legend. With Lucas in the audience, she sarcastically compared her Leia costume experience to that of Natalie Portman’s elaborately wardrobed Queen Amidala in the prequels. “I mean, I bet she even got to wear a bra,” Fisher joked, “even though you told me I couldn’t, because there was no underwear in space!”. The room erupted in laughter. Even Lucas had to smile at the playful jab. By publicly teasing him about the no-underwear rule, Fisher turned a private costuming quirk into a shared joke with the fan community.
Carrie Fisher’s own recountings – whether in books, interviews, or on stage – were always delivered with a wink. She had a knack for spinning embarrassment into humor. What could have been a footnote of Hollywood trivia became a highlight of her comic repertoire. In sharing the “no underwear in space” story, Fisher poked fun at both herself and Lucas, all while endearing herself even more to fans who relished her candor. It exemplified her fearless, no-nonsense personality; as she often proved, Princess Leia wasn’t the only one with a rebellious streak.
From Behind-the-Scenes Secret to Star Wars Lore
What started as an odd on-set directive soon escaped the soundstage and entered the realm of Star Wars lore. As Fisher told and re-told the tale, fans latched onto it with glee. The notion that George Lucas had declared underwear obsolete in the vacuum of space was too delightful (and perplexing) not to share. Over the years it has become one of those quirky pieces of Star Wars trivia that every die-hard fan seems to know — right up there with who shot first and the hidden cameos.
Media outlets large and small have written about it, cementing its status as an iconic anecdote. (Indeed, the fact that you’re reading this article proves how enduring the interest is.) Decades after 1977, websites continue to revisit Fisher’s story, examining just why Lucas would come up with such a rule. The phrase “no underwear in space” itself has become a mini-meme in the fandom, a shorthand reference for this whole bizarre saga. It’s the kind of tongue-in-cheek “fact” that fans of Star Wars movies, books, comics, and video games love to bandy about at conventions or on forums – equal parts unbelievable and hysterical.
Fans haven’t been shy about keeping the joke alive. In one light-hearted instance, a Star Wars enthusiast publicly asked Mark Hamill (who played Luke Skywalker) the burning question: since Carrie had to go sans underwear, did Luke and Han Solo also “go commando” under their space-faring gear? One fan, Rachel, tweeted cheekily: given that “there’s no underwear in space,” did that mean Hamill and co-star Harrison Ford followed the same rule on set? Hamill’s response was in the same jocular spirit: “No. Can’t speak for Harrison, though.” His witty reply set Star Wars social media abuzz, proving that even the actors enjoy riffing on Lucas’s old proclamation.
Interestingly, despite Lucas’s offhand decree during filming, the broader Star Wars universe hasn’t actually banned undergarments. (Spoiler: Yes, people in the galaxy far, far away do wear underwear.) The expanded lore in novels and comics occasionally alludes to such unmentionables, and even the films themselves featured characters in various states of dress (Leia’s famous gold bikini in Return of the Jedi, for example, surely involved something underneath — or so we hope!). Lucas’s quip was never meant as actual canon policy; it was more a quirky bit of behind-the-scenes logic. Nevertheless, the image of a strict “no underwear” rule in space stuck in fans’ minds, simply because it was so outlandish. It has since been referenced in countless articles, fan discussions, and even Star Wars reference works. The Wookieepedia fan encyclopedia humorously notes the existence of underwear in the universe, implicitly thumbing its nose at Lucas’s old comment. In short, “no underwear in space” evolved into a beloved in-joke – a wink that every Star Wars devotee understands.
George Lucas’s Perspective and the Semi-Scientific Explanation
So, what did George Lucas actually have to say for himself about this whole underwear issue? For years, fans only had Carrie Fisher’s mischievous retellings as evidence of the Lucas edict. Lucas himself stayed mum on the subject in public, perhaps content to let the legend grow. However, he eventually did offer a kind of explanation — delivered not through a press release or an interview, but directly to Carrie Fisher in a backstage conversation. It happened in 2008, when Lucas attended Fisher’s Wishful Drinking stage show in San Francisco. There, he heard her recount the infamous bra ban story to a delighted audience. After the show, Lucas went backstage to chat with his former Princess and finally elaborated on his quirky rule.
That’s when Lucas dropped the semi-scientific rationale: in the zero-gravity conditions of space, he told her, the human body would expand, but a tight garment like a bra would not. The result? “In space you get weightless, and so your flesh expands,” Lucas explained, whereas a bra “wouldn’t expand along with the skin.” In theory, a spacefaring woman might end up “being strangled by her own brassiere” – a dire (if somewhat comic) fate indeed. Lucas presumably intended this as a serious answer, tying a bit of science into his directorial decision. Fisher, of course, found it more funny than convincing. She later joked that instead of pointing out the obvious (that most bras are adjustable, even in a galaxy far, far away), she “saw the funny side” and held her tongue. The director’s earnest explanation only gave her new material for her comedy. It directly inspired her tongue-in-cheek wish about a bra-related obituary, as mentioned earlier. Lucas, in effect, handed Fisher the setup for one of her greatest punchlines.
Publicly, George Lucas hasn’t commented much beyond that private clarification. It’s likely he never imagined that a throwaway line to his actress would snowball into an oft-quoted piece of pop culture. To Lucas’s credit (or perhaps bemusement), his offbeat concern for astrophysical realism became part of the Star Wars mythos – just not in the way he expected. The no-underwear rule remains a quirky footnote of the production process, one that Lucas has let stand as part of the franchise’s lore. After all, it hasn’t hurt the Star Wars legacy one bit – if anything, it’s added a dash of humanizing silliness to the legend of how this great space epic was made.
Conclusion: The Lasting Impact on Pop Culture
In the end, the declaration that “there’s no underwear in space” transcended its humble origin as a costume choice on a 1970s film set. It became a cultural touchstone for Star Wars fans, encapsulating the delightful absurdity that can lurk behind the scenes of our favorite movies. This single anecdote brings together all the elements that make the Star Wars phenomenon so enduring: the creative vision of George Lucas, the spirited personality of Carrie Fisher, and the passionate engagement of the fan community. It’s a story that has been told and retold for decades, eliciting chuckles and wide-eyed disbelief in equal measure.
For fans of Star Wars – whether their entry point was the blockbuster movies or the rich expansions in books, comics, and video games – tales like these are icing on the cake. They remind us that even as we lose ourselves in a galaxy far, far away, the human side of the saga is just as compelling. Carrie Fisher’s “no underwear” saga adds a layer of humorous lore to the franchise that official canon never could. It highlights the real-world quirks and creativity involved in making cinematic history. Princess Leia may be a fictional hero, but Carrie Fisher – armed with wit, sarcasm, and a refusal to take Hollywood nonsense seriously – became a hero in her own right through stories like this.
The impact of the anecdote on pop culture is undeniable. It’s referenced in magazines, toasted in fan conventions, and immortalized in internet memes. The phrase itself – no underwear in space – instantly evokes a grin from those in the know. It stands as a quirky piece of Star Wars trivia that symbolizes the franchise’s unique blend of imagination and practicality (or perhaps impracticality!). And it will forever be linked to Carrie Fisher’s legacy of candor and humor.
In reflecting on this odd bit of Star Wars history, one can’t help but appreciate how it humanizes the larger-than-life saga. Here we have a galactic princess, a visionary director, and a strip of gaffer tape, all wrapped up in a story that is as entertaining as any space battle. Carrie Fisher’s ability to laugh about it – and make us laugh – turns a costume inconvenience into a legendary joke. And George Lucas’s earnest pseudo-science reminds us that even the masterminds of fantasy have their peculiar priorities. In pop culture, these are the kinds of anecdotes that stick around. They get passed on to future generations of fans, enriching the tapestry of stories that surround the main narrative.
So the next time you watch A New Hope and see Princess Leia fearlessly blasting stormtroopers in that billowy white dress, remember the hidden struggle: no bra, lots of tape, and a director who swore it was all in the name of science. It’s a testament to the collaborative craziness of filmmaking. In a saga filled with unforgettable lines, “There’s no underwear in space” has earned its place – not in the movie script, but in the lore that lives on in our collective fandom. And as Carrie Fisher might say, if that isn’t a cosmic joke worthy of an obit, what is?
Sources
- Far Out Magazine – “Why George Lucas wouldn’t let Carrie Fisher wear underwear on Star Wars” (2024): Detailing Lucas’s strange insistence that Princess Leia go without a bra, and Fisher’s humorous recollections of the incidentfaroutmagazine.co.ukfaroutmagazine.co.uk. This article provides context on Fisher’s feelings about the costume and even notes a fan’s question to Mark Hamill about whether he also went commandofaroutmagazine.co.uk.
- Vanity Fair – “Carrie Fisher Had Just One Request for Her Obituary” (2016): Features excerpts from Fisher’s Wishful Drinking show/book. It includes the original dialogue where Lucas says “there’s no underwear in space,” as well as Fisher’s tongue-in-cheek “drowned in moonlight, strangled by my own bra” quote about her future obituaryvanityfair.comvanityfair.com.
- Speakola (Transcript of Carrie Fisher’s 2005 AFI Roast of George Lucas): A transcript of Fisher’s comedic speech at Lucas’s AFI Life Achievement Award ceremony. Fisher jokingly reminds Lucas that he forbade her from wearing a bra “because there was no underwear in space!” – highlighting how she publicly poked fun at him with this anecdotespeakola.com.
- Esquire – “Carrie Fisher Was Most Admirably Blind to the Bullsh*t” (2016): An essay reflecting on Fisher’s life and career. It recounts how Fisher handled being the only woman on the Star Wars set. Notably, it mentions she was asked to tape down her breasts with gaffer tape since no bra could be worn, and quotes her witty remark to Lucas’s biographer: “No breasts bounce in space, there’s no jiggling in the Empire!”esquire.com.
- The Daily Beast – Interview “Carrie Fisher’s Crazy Star Wars Ride” (2015): Interview where Fisher humorously discusses many Star Wars topics. She complains about that “damn white” dress she wore throughout A New Hopefaroutmagazine.co.uk, hinting at her annoyance with the outfit (and indirectly the no-underwear rule). This provides additional background on her candid, feisty attitude toward the Leia costume.
