Star Wars: Episode VII is now filming and fans around the world are hoping that director J.J. Abrams can re-capture the Star Wars magic lost among the hit-and-miss prequel trilogy. One sign that the movie is on the right track is the movie’s cast, which was recently announced. Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill, and Carrie Fisher are all returning to that galaxy far, far away as Han Solo, Luke Skywalker, and Princess Leia.

The actors are now working hard to get back into character, but it now appears that they have been working hard for over a year to slip back into their classic roles.

Fisher’s mother, Debbie Reynolds, appeared on entertainment show Extra recently and revealed that Fisher changed her body significantly for the movie. Reynolds revealed that Fisher has been dieting since being cast in Episode VII, losing 40 pounds for the role.

“She looks terrific, she’s lost 40 pounds, she’s very excited as we all are ’cause we all love Star Wars,” said Reynolds.

Fisher, who had struggled with mental illness and substance abuse in the years following her Star Wars role, had not kept the figure made famous by the infamous metal bikini in Return of the Jedi. Her weight loss for Episode VII demonstrates a significant commitment to the role of Leia that Star Wars fans should appreciate.

Shortly after Star Wars: Episode VII was officially announced predictable rumors surfaced that Fisher would reprise her role as Leia. One of these rumors held that both Fisher and Hamill had been assigned personal trainers to help them get into shape for their roles. The fact that Hammil has also slimmed down significantly in the past year suggests that this may have been one of the more true rumors from that period.

Fisher poked fun at herself and her body in the past, most notably in her 2008 autobiography Wishful Drinking. Last week she also tweeted out a joke that shows just how aware she is of the media’s obsession with her weight:

Image via Twitter