J.J. Abrams: I Did Not Cut Lupita Nyong´o´s Star Wars Role

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Fri Dec 4, 2015 12:02PM

Moviemaker J.J. Abrams has dismissed rumors he cut down Lupita Nyong´o´s part in the new Star Wars film because he was unhappy with her performance. The Oscar-winning actress plays a character called Maz Kanata in Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens, but further details about her role have been kept under wraps ahead of the blockbuster´s release later this month (Dec15).
Rumors suggested Lupita´s part in the film had been reduced during the editing process, but director J.J. Abrams is adamant the story is not true, and he has lavished praise on the actress for her "spectacular" performance.
"The number of rumors floating around about The Force Awakens is truly stunning. Some are wonderfully funny, others simply preposterous," he tells New York Post gossip column Page Six. "But the only one more ridiculous than Jar Jar Binks being a Sith Lord is that I cut Lupita Nyong´o´s performance because it wasn´t satisfactory.
"In truth, her performance wasn´t satisfactory. It was spectacular. She has brought the character of Maz Kanata to life in the most wonderful, wise, touching, deep and funny way. Lupita never ceased to amaze me. Yes, we tried many approaches, and we finally landed on just what the film needed. She elevated all the scenes she is in, I´m forever grateful, and can´t wait for people to see her stunning performance."
The film, which reunites original castmembers Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher and Mark Hamill, is due to hit cinemas in the U.K. on 17 December (15), and in the U.S. a day later (18Dec15).