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Did Gina Carano Replace Chip Gaines as Head of Disney Imagineering?
May the Fourth Be With You.
by Jessica Lee , April 17, 2021
Image courtesy of Getty Images
By the time Snopes started fact-checking the internet in 1995, "Star Wars" fandom had already redefined pop culture.
The original trilogy — "Episode IV: A New Hope" (1977) , "Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back" (1980) , and "Episode VI: Return of the Jedi" (1983) — were successes that entranced sci-fi-loving baby boomers and members of Generation X.
Then, still in the infancy stage of Snopes' work sorting fact from fiction online, the franchise released its first film of the prequel trilogy, "Episode I: The Phantom Menace ," in 1999.
Flash forward 27 years — adding dozens of other movies, TV shows , books , video games and other types of media to the "Star Wars" canon — and the Snopes newsroom continues, in 2022, to field rumors about the fictional universe and the real-life actors who portrayed the characters who lived in it. Below is a sampling of our reporting.
By Jessica Lee
Jessica Lee is Snopes' Senior Assignments Editor with expertise in investigative storytelling, media literacy advocacy and digital audience engagement.
Did a Stormtrooper Hit His Head in 'Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope'?
April 26, 2022
Multiple actors have claimed they were the clumsy stormtrooper.
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Did Harrison Ford Really Improvise Han Solo's 'I Know' in 'The Empire Strikes Back'?
Dec. 17, 2021
The pivotal line comes right before Han Solo is frozen in carbonite.
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Were Yoda, Grover, and Miss Piggy All Voiced by the Same Actor?
May 2, 2022
And what about Bert, Cookie Monster, and Fozzie Bear?
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Did Carrie Fisher Do Her Own Rewrites for 'The Empire Strikes Back'?
Dec. 28, 2016
An image circulating online falsely attributed some dialogue changes to the Hollywood icon.
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What Was the First Full CGI Character?
May 14, 2021
Filmmaker George Lucas is responsible for several milestones in computer-generated imagery (CGI).
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Did Billy Dee Williams Prank Mark Hamill Before They Met British Royalty?
July 6, 2021
A photograph shows Hamill, who played Luke Skywalker, looking away as he shook hands with Prince ...
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Your Guide to 'Raiders of the Lost Ark' and the 'Star Wars' Easter Eggs
June 11, 2021
A few familiar characters pop up in Indiana Jones, if you know where to look.
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The Origins of Princess Leia's Hairstyle
Dec. 30, 2016
Following Carrie Fisher's death, speculation mounted regarding the inspiration for her Princess ...
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The 'I Am Your Father' 1980 Audience Reaction Video Is Fake, But We Found a Real One
July 19, 2021
The viral "Star Wars" video featured a fake cinema reaction to Darth Vader's infamous line from ...
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Did Harrison Ford Compare Donald Trump to Indiana Jones and Han Solo?
Jan. 16, 2017
A quote ostensibly uttered by actor Harrison Ford comparing President-elect Donald Trump to "pat ...
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Photograph Shows Young Carrie Fisher Watching Debbie Reynolds Perform
Dec. 29, 2016
The image was shared widely on social media after the mother and daughter died within one day of ...
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Harrison Ford Holding a Trump Sign?
March 16, 2016
That photograph of Harrison Ford holding a Trump sign is fake.
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Yes, YouTube Ads Mistakenly Reappeared for 'The Rise of Skywalker'
Nov. 24, 2020
Don't worry. You haven't traveled back in time and you won't have to relive 2020 all over again.
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Disney Casts Justin Bieber as Young Han Solo?
April 3, 2017
Reports that Justin Bieber has been cast in an upcoming 'Star Wars' movie as a young Han Solo ar ...
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Movie Theater Chain Warns Patrons About 'Extended Silence' in New 'Star Wars' Film
Dec. 26, 2017
Visitors to AMC theaters in two states posted pictures of the sign alerting them not to worry ab ...
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Actress Carrie Fisher Said Trump Sniffles Were Due to Cocaine?
Oct. 11, 2016
Carrie Fisher tweeted that she believed Donald Trump uses cocaine, but later walked back the sta ...
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Disney World's 'Rise of the Resistance' Ride Breaks Down (Again)
June 21, 2021
Theme park rides break down all the time, but videos shot by guests can provide a brief glimpse ...
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'Mandalorian' TV Star Gina Carano Again Under Fire for Controversial Social Media Posts
Feb. 10, 2021
The Disney+ star was accused of amplifying conspiracy theories and anti-Semitic messages.
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Did Gina Carano Replace Chip Gaines as Head of Disney Imagineering?
April 17, 2021
Carano is a former cast member of "The Mandalorian" on Disney Plus.
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