Richard Miller, the Industrial Light and Magic sculptor who worked on the Star Wars original trilogy and created Princess Leia‘s famous gold bikini, has died. The golden bikini is seen in the third Star Wars movie, Return of the Jedi, and was worn by Carrie Fisher as Leia while in servitude to the Star Wars villain Jabba the Hutt.
From its debut to now, the sculpted golden bikini has remained one of the defining Star Wars costumes and has been endlessly cosplayed and re-created in the decades since. Richard Miller, who is credited with sculpting the bronze bra, helped to bring the piece to life. The entire costume worn by Carrie Fisher was initially designed by Nilo Rodis-Jamero who was the assistant art director of visual effects for The Empire Strikes Back and later costume designed for Return of the Jedi.
Now, Richard Miller’s close colleague and friend Fon H. Davis has confirmed the news that Miller has died. In a statement to Instagram, Fon H. Davis said “I am heartbroken to hear my friend, colleague and incredibly talented sculptor, Richard Miller has passed away. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to work, laugh, and be grumpy, at times, with him.”
The news is a reminder that while the Star Wars franchise is very much alive with continued science fiction movies and Star Wars series, it is still one of the oldest media franchises around. The first Star Wars movie is almost half a century old, and many of the actors and behind the scenes crew who worked on the movie have since died.
Nevertheless, whether it’s Alec Guinness as the Jedi master Obi-Wan Kenobi or Richard Miller as the sculptor of Star Wars most iconic costume, the people who worked to bring Star Wars to the screen leave behind a huge legacy. And, that legacy is still being expanded on today.
To keep up with Star Wars, take a look at our guide to the Andor season 2 release date and our explainers on the Andor cast of characters including Mon Mothma, Dedra Meero, Syril Karn, and Luthen Rael. Alternatively, refresh your memory with our Andor season 1 recap.