The cast members of the original Star Wars trilogy are among the most iconic in film history. Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, James Earl Jones, and more all became household names. It’s difficult to imagine any one of this group not knowing everything about their co-stars. But what if one pair straight up never met while filming? And what if they didn’t actually meet for the first time until nearly 40 years later?
That sounds almost impossible to believe, but it’s the case for Carrie Fisher and James Earl Jones. The voice of Darth Vader recorded his lines separately from the rest of the cast, so he never actually met his on-screen daughter during the filming process. The two did not cross paths until 2014, when they both guest-starred on the same episode of The Big Bang Theory. The CBS comedy was well-known for its love of sci-fi guest stars, so this seems like the natural place for Fisher and Jones to cross paths. But how is it that they never met once in the four decades prior to their TBBT guest spots? And do we know if Jones didn’t meet any other cast members? Let’s take a look.
Unless you’ve been living under a rock since 1977, you know the Star Wars cast and characters. Carrie Fisher was Princess Leia, and James Earl Jones provided the voice of Darth Vader (with David Prowse inhabiting the suit). It seems unreal that they never met. But when you dig a little deeper, it gets easier to understand. Jones never visited the set of the original trilogy, only dubbing over Prowse’s lines in a sound booth after production had finished. Vader and Leia also did not have that many scenes together when compared to other OG cast members.
This also means that Fisher and Jones never encountered each other at any press events, award ceremonies, or other movie sets. Most filmgoers imagine Hollywood as a place where every celebrity knows each other. This obviously isn’t the case, but two co-stars from the same film should have run into each other by chance at some point, right? Jones did meet both Mark Hamill and Harrison Ford in person. He starred with Ford in 1992’s Patriot Games, but it’s not clear if that was the first time they met. Hamill has shared images of himself with Jones on social media that date back to at least the ’80s.
But Jones and Fisher would ultimately cross paths in the most unlikely, yet also very predictable, of places. They both appeared in The Big Bang Theory episode “The Convention Conundrum” in January 2014.
A ‘Big Bang Theory’ Meeting 37 Years Later
The episode in question centers on Leonard, Sheldon, Raj, and Howard’s attempts to buy tickets for that year’s San Diego Comic-Con. When they’re unable to secure some, Leonard, Raj, and Howard resort to buying from a scalper. Though this idea soon scares them, and they back out. Meanwhile, Sheldon manages to track down James Earl Jones at a local restaurant. He goes to see Jones, who actually welcomes the genius, unlike the majority of celebrity guests.
Jones eagerly answers Sheldon’s questions about Star Wars and his personal life. The two then spent the evening doing a variety of activities, like visiting an ice cream parlor, riding a Ferris wheel, singing karaoke, and sitting in a sauna together. By the end of the night, Sheldon is actually the one who seems to tire of Jones’ antics. But it works out, as the voice of Darth Vader invites Sheldon and the group to Comic Con as his guests.
At one point in the evening, Jones and Sheldon visit the home of Carrie Fisher for a classic ding-dong-ditch. They ring the bell and run, and Fisher comes outside with a baseball bat, instantly knowing that it was Jones. This was the scene where Fisher and Jones first met. Per executive producer Steve Molaro, Fisher greeted Jones with an enthusiastic “Dad!” when they arrived on set. Molaro and the team were also unaware that this was the two stars’ first meeting. It’s clear from the episode that both are enjoying themselves. Jones shows off his comedic chops and leans into the “obsessive Star Wars fan” angle. Fisher’s scene is shorter, but her enthusiasm is also evident in her single line. The pair’s co-star Mark Hamill would later appear as Sheldon and Amy’s wedding officiant in the eleventh season finale.
It’s likely that this was the only time or one of the only times the pair met. Carrie Fisher passed away just three years later in December 2016, and James Earl Jones later passed in September 2024. That means that without The Big Bang Theory, these two legends may have gone their whole lives without meeting. Any Star Wars fans who haven’t yet seen this first meeting between “father and daughter” should put the episode on their list.
