Marcia Lucas, the acclaimed film editor whose work helped shape the original Star Wars, has died at the age of 80.

According to her family, Lucas passed away from metastatic cancer at her home in Rancho Mirage, California, on Wednesday, surrounded by loved ones.

In a statement released on Friday, her family paid tribute to her legacy, describing her as “a force” and “a true trailblazer for women in film.” They added that she was “one of the most influential editors in cinematic history” whose work helped redefine the possibilities of film editing.

Lucas won the Academy Award for Best Film Editing for the original Star Wars film in 1977—later retitled Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope—sharing the honour with fellow editors Richard Chew and Paul Hirsch.

While much of her contribution occurred behind the scenes, film historians and fans have long credited her with helping to bring emotional depth, pacing and narrative clarity to the groundbreaking science-fiction saga created by George Lucas.

George Lucas himself acknowledged her role in assembling the film’s climactic Death Star battle sequence, one of the most memorable moments in cinema history. He explained that the challenge involved organising vast amounts of footage while weaving a compelling story into the action.

Born Marcia Griffin in Modesto, California, in 1945, she began her career as a film librarian before establishing herself as one of Hollywood’s most respected editors.

After marrying George Lucas in 1969, she worked on several of his early projects, including THX 1138 and American Graffiti, earning an Academy Award nomination for her editing work on the latter.

Beyond her collaborations with Lucas, she worked with acclaimed director Martin Scorsese on several notable films during the 1970s, including Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, Taxi Driver and New York, New York.

She later returned to the Star Wars franchise, contributing to The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, helping shape what would become one of cinema’s most influential trilogies.

Marcia and George Lucas adopted a daughter, Amanda, in 1981. The couple divorced in 1983 after 14 years of marriage. She later married Tom Rodrigues, with whom she had a second daughter, Amy.

Her contributions to film editing and storytelling continue to be celebrated by filmmakers and audiences worldwide, and her work remains deeply embedded in the legacy of Star Wars and modern cinema.

BTS dominated the American Music Awards, taking home some of the night’s biggest honours as Black Eyed Peas reunited during the ceremony.

The K-pop superstars secured the event’s top award, further cementing their global success following their return from a nearly four-year hiatus earlier this year and a world tour reportedly worth around $1bn.

BTS also won song of the summer for their single Swim and were named best male K-pop artist.

Their label partners Katseye picked up the new artist of the year award.

Meanwhile, Golden — the breakout track from the animated film K-Pop Demon Hunters — was named song of the year.

Sabrina Carpenter enjoyed a successful evening after winning album of the year for Man’s Best Friend. She also claimed awards for best female pop artist and best pop album.

Justin Bieber was named best male pop artist.

BTS beat a strong field in the top artist category, including Taylor Swift, Bruno Mars, Bad Bunny and Lady Gaga.

The group also overcame competition from artists such as Harry Styles, Tame Impala and PinkPantheress in the song category.

Despite entering the awards with eight nominations, Taylor Swift — the artist with the most AMA wins in history — left the ceremony without an award.

Global music stars Madonna, Shakira and BTS are set to headline the first-ever half-time show at a FIFA World Cup final this summer.

The tournament, co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, will conclude with the final in MetLife Stadium on 19 July.

The performance is expected to last around 11 minutes, despite speculation the show could extend beyond the standard 15-minute half-time interval allowed under the laws of football.

The introduction of a Super Bowl-style performance marks a major shift for FIFA, with elaborate pre-match entertainment already common at events such as the UEFA Champions League Final.

Last summer’s FIFA Club World Cup final in the US between Chelsea FC and Paris Saint-Germain featured a half-time show lasting more than 24 minutes.

Shakira’s involvement comes shortly after the announcement of her official World Cup anthem Dai Dai, which also features Nigerian music star Burna Boy.

The Colombian singer previously delivered one of football’s most iconic tournament songs with Waka Waka (This Time for Africa) during the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

Meanwhile, Madonna — often referred to as the “Queen of Pop” — is preparing to release her 15th studio album, Confessions II, on 3 July.

The 67-year-old recently made a surprise appearance during Sabrina Carpenter’s set at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, where the pair performed Vogue and Like a Prayer together.

BTS, regarded as the best-selling music act in South Korean history with more than 45 million albums sold, are also preparing for a major comeback after a three-year hiatus during which members completed mandatory military service.

The group previously collaborated with Coldplay on the hit single My Universe.

The half-time show is being curated by Coldplay frontman Chris Martin and will support the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, which aims to raise $100m for children around the world.

Gianni Infantino previously described the event as “a historic moment for the FIFA World Cup, befitting the biggest sporting event in the world.”