1) Tell us a little bit about yourself, your hobbies and background.
I'm 23 years old, live in San Diego and just graduated from UC Irvine with a degree in English. I love to write, paint/draw, play board games, console games, play piano..... before my brother moved I played a lot of D&D, and then the group kinda broke apart because my brother was the DM.
2) How long have you been costuming? What kinds of experiences have you had?
This is my 2nd time cosplaying really and it's been a lot of fun and I'm already thinking up ideas for my next costume endeavor. I've had nothing but positive experiences with costuming.... of course I think the slave bikini helped with that. But dressing up, I've found, is a really cool way to meet a lot of interesting and nice, just really nice, people. I've noticed that you'll just meet people from all over the country doing this.
3) What's your earliest memory of seeing Return of the Jedi?
My earliest memory of Return of the Jedi was I think when I was 5 or 6. I just always remember there being Star Wars. My mom loved the movies and they were always playing when I was little. I just really don't remember a time without Star Wars. I did an interview with somebody doing a documentary of Star Wars fans this year (unfortunately I didn't get to hear what it was called), but he had asked me how I had responded when I was little to finding out Darth Vader was Luke's father. I just really couldn't remember. I don't think I was ever shocked, I just kind of always knew it. I think I was too young to understand the significance of what it all meant at the time. But as I grew older, even though the surprise wasn't there anymore, the meaning was much, much deeper.
4) When did you get your first "metal bikini" and what drove you to it?
My first metal bikini was made last year, July of 2004, for the San Diego Comic Con. It was my first time really cosplaying and I wanted something that would catch people's eyes and at the same time allow me to be a character that I loved when I was growing up. I think I choose Leia in the first place because I've always had a crush on Han Solo and wanted to be the romantic interest for a bit, I dunno. But I knew it would be a costume that everyone would recognize, and they did. And that just made it so much fun.
5) What is your favorite memory of appearing as Slave Leia?
My favorite memory of being dressed as Slave Leia was at 2004's Comic Con. I got to meet Carrie Fisher dressed as Leia, and I had a picture of her in the costume for her to sign. And she was just beaming at me. She asked me how I made it, how it was held up, and she just wrote this great personalized message for me on the photo. It was very cool.
6) If you danced for Jabba the Hutt, what song would you dance to and why?
Let's see, probably "Runaway" by The Real McCoy's because that's what I'd want to do.
7) Any final words?
It was so much fun having so many people appreciate something that you worked really hard on. And it showed so much when parents would ask if they could have their kids pose with me, getting all excited themselves, almost like a second childhood or something. I just makes me happy being able to give them that.
Thanks Jennifer!
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