THE GODDESS PROJECT: Made in Her Image
Pop Culture Series #4
LEIA
Star Wars was one of the first films I can remember, and unlike the pink and purple princesses of today, Princess Leia was a powerful leader. Based on the Greek Goddess Artemis (who’s twin brother is Apollo), she too was a fierce warrior trying to stop the patriarchy.
I never thought much about Pricess Leia’s sex, she was just one of the (s)heroes in the film but she inspired me with her courage (SHE’s the only person who fearlessly stands up to Darth Vader), her strength (she strangles Jabba the Hut for enslaving her and making her wear that bikini) and her intellect (sharp tongued and quick-witted!) Because of her power, I could relate to her because that is how I truly felt inside although it would be years before I could comfortably express it.
On playing Leia, dynamic actress Carrie Fisher once told “Rolling Stone” magazine that, “There are a lot of people who don’t like my character in these movies; they think I’m some kind of space bitch. She has no friends, no family; her planet was blown up in seconds … so all she has is a cause. From the first film [Star Wars], she was just a soldier, front line and center.. In Return of the Jedi, she gets to be more feminine, more supportive, more affectionate.”
Alyssa Rosenberg of The Washington Post writes of Leia in the film: “Leia’s nerves as a revolutionary are clear from the moment she arrives on screen … She takes shots at the Storm Troopers boarding her ship, gets stunned with a blaster in her hand, then has the audacity to try to make Darth Vader feel ashamed of himself … She has enough energy left over after a nasty session of torture to insult Grand Moff Tarkin. And while she grieves when her home planet, Alderaan, is destroyed by the Death Star, Leia’s not paralyzed: when her unexpected rescuers show up, she’s ready to go, and to gripe about their operational sloppiness.”
Princess Leia is as brave a leader as they come, fearless in any situation.
Even her iconic cinnamon bun hairdo is meant to be bold and defiant, based on a band of rebellious turn of the century Hopi Women in Mexico and Arizona. (See photo below from http://firstpeople.us )
The character of Princess Leia has become a pop cultural representation of the Goddess, for both women and men. Proving to women and girls that they have just as much strength and power (if not more) than they think they do. And for men and boys she represents the ultimate of Feminity, genius, strong, beautiful and nurturing, capable and worthy of ruling the Universe.
Portraying Princess Leia is Alexandra in her second apparition in the Goddess Project, you might also remember her as Queen Esther. https://plus.google.com/107287050579003737566/posts/1j6uwSU657y The Graceful and charismatic Alexandra is a powerful professional ballerina, born in Washington, DC. About portraying Leia, Alexandra said, “I think Princess Leia represents that women can be smart, pretty, and fight for what they believe in. She is powerful but also feminine. She is an OG badass in my opinion. The shoot definitely gave me a feeling of empowerment, and I really enjoyed it!”
Thank you, Alexandra for enthusiastically embracing this character and bringing her to life as only you could! And we look forward to your blog.
