"I wanna be Leia! Make me Leia!": When Evangeline Lilly almost dreamed herself into 'Star Wars'

Five years have whizzed by since the iconic Evangeline Lilly confessed her secret Star Wars aspiration during Fan Expo Boston. As CNET reported back in 2018, the "Ant-Man and The Wasp" star opened up about her fantasy to step into the boots of Princess (later General) Leia Organa. "When JJ (Abrams) announced that he was gonna do his first Star Wars film... I said, 'I wanna be Leia! Make me Leia!'"

The Dream that was Never Fulfilled: Lilly as Leia

Before the legendary Carrie Fisher confirmed her return for "The Force Awakens" and "The Last Jedi," Lilly had dreams of bringing Leia Organa to life. It was an ambition born out of her first-ever request since the conclusion of the ABC plane-crash drama "Lost". Alas, her wish to become a part of the galaxy far, far away remained unfulfilled.

Beyond Leia: Embracing The Wasp and Eyeing All-Female Avengers

However, the path of destiny had exciting plans for Lilly. She found her superhero moment in the Marvel universe as 'The Wasp,' a role she played with relish. Amid fan theories and discussions about a standalone Wasp film, Lilly had different thoughts. "I love the team aspect of it... So I don't love the idea of breaking them up -- except if there was an all-female Avengers film. Then I'm in."

Lilly's desire for an all-female Avengers flick hinted at a progressive future for Marvel, even before the studio launched its first female-led superhero movie, "Captain Marvel" starring Brie Larson. As we look back at Lilly's unfulfilled 'Star Wars' dream and her burgeoning Marvel journey, her vision of an all-female Avengers ensemble continues to intrigue and inspire fans.

Looking back, Lilly's dreams have only added more layers to her fascinating journey, from an eager 'Star Wars' aspirant to a Marvel superhero. Who knows? Perhaps an all-female Avengers team isn't too far off in the future.

(Several parts of the text in this article, including the title, were generated with the help of an AI tool.)