Star Wars can sometimes feel like a bit of a boys' club, with its creation being owed to George Lucas, its music coming from the mind of John Williams, and more. Even if you go into the more behind-the-scenes histories, it's easy to remember the concept art by Ralph McQuarrie and the sound design by Benjamin Burtt. We should remember female contributions all year round. Still, as Women's History Month comes to a close, I'd like to highlight five exceptional women who made Star Wars the awesome universe that it is today.
Here are 5 women who made Star Wars what it is today.
1. Marcia Lucas, editor
If you want a great summary of the influence of George Lucas' ex-wife Marcia Lucas on Star Wars, I recommend Collider's 2023 tribute to Marcia, saying that "This person gave it heart." Elisa Guimaraes remarked that "Every now and then, there comes an editor that more than just transforms a series of disconnected images into a coherent work of art... whose influence within the movie is so great that it's impossible to even conceive of the existence of such a film without that person."
Think this is hyperbole? Mark Hamill credited Marcia for keeping in great moments like Leia Organa kissing Luke for luck and Chewie terrorizing a mouse droid. But her influence doesn't stop there. George says that he "was struggling with a plot problem when his wife suggested that he kill off Ben." Without that sacrifice, Guimaraes is of the opinion that "the movie had no climax and no real stakes." Marcia's years of editing experience are what made the Death Star run in Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope so compelling.
2. Leigh Brackett, screenwriter
Leigh Brackett is commonly known in this fandom for having penned the first draft of the "STAR WARS sequel" before succumbing to cancer in 1978. She was also a mentor to classic science-fiction author Ray Bradbury. Before coming on board for what is now Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back, Leigh wrote such movies as Hatari! and Rio Bravo but also contributed teleplays for episodes of The Rockford Files and The Alfred Hitchcock Hour.
The draft that has been preserved is vastly different from what we got in 1980. Han Solo is the stepson of a major Imperial arms supplier. Luke takes a Jedi oath under the guidance of his father's ghost, and Darth Vader tries to talk him into joining the Dark Side so he can win Leia's affections. But the philosophy involved in Jedi training and the inventiveness of the warfare are absolutely captivating. George Lucas reportedly withheld his own screenplay drafts from being considered by the Screen Actors' Guild so Leigh would get the proper writing credit.
3. Trisha Biggar, costume designer
One of the most striking things about the prequel trilogy is the lavish difference in costuming. In the first three films of the original trilogy, we saw the utilitarian uniforms of the Rebel Alliance set against the tailored and pristine garb of Imperial officers.
Then came Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace, and Trisha Biggar showed us a galaxy where royalty could be on display and politicians dressed to impress. The natives of Tatooine wore homespun clothes that sometimes had seen better days, and the Jedi robes were worn with pride. It was as much a delight to see the cultural wardrobes of other worlds in Attack of the Clones as it was to finally see some of the saga's heroes in what could be considered leisurewear. Biggar created iconic looks full of hidden meanings for both sides of the war in Revenge of the Sith. While she did not receive an Academy Award nomination or win for her work on the trilogy, it's a relief to see that other organizations had more sense, as she received a Saturn Award in 2000 and 2003 for her work. Her most recent work was on the time-traveling epic Outlander.
4. Kathleen Kennedy, president
These days, Kathleen Kennedy is known for her bold leadership of Lucasfilm and the creative vision that brought Star Wars to streaming. Much earlier, she was a secretary to Steven Spielberg. She helped co-found Amblin Entertainment in 1982 and was a producer on E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial. She continued working on producing films, from Indiana Jones and the Temple Doom to Lincoln. Kennedy basically helped shape all of our childhoods.
She is the wonderful woman who became co-chair of Lucasfilm Ltd. in June 2012 and took on the role of President once George sold the company to Disney. We have her to thank not only for the sequel trilogy but her role as producer of nine projects ranging from The Mandalorian to Willow.
5. Deana Kiner, composer
Deana Kiner is a composer known for her work with family on music for a number of Star Wars projects. According to their website, Deana and her brother Sean "are LA-based artists who... frequently work with Gustavo Santaolalla, Clint Mansell, Jed Murzel, and their father, Kevin Kiner." Deana herself is a graduate of Boston's Berklee College of Music, a great conservatory in a wonderful city.
Credits for Deana include Ahsoka, Star Wars Rebels, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, The Bad Batch, and Tales of the Jedi. As demonstrated in the above clip from Star Wars: Rebel's Season 4, she has a flair for fusing the traditional and the ethereal. The music reminds me of the otherworldly themes of 2001: A Space Odyssey or Interstellar. Her iMDB page reminds us that, beyond the Star Wars franchise, she has composed for series such as Jane the Virgin and Transformers: Robots in Disguise.
There are too many women who have contributed to Star Wars to count in a single list, but these trailblazers and gamechangers have set a great example. We look forward to seeing what future creators learn from their hard work.