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Carrie Frances Fisher (October 21, 1956 – December 27, 2016) was an American actress and writer. She played
Princess Leia Princess Leia Organa ( or ) is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. Introduced in the Star Wars (film), original ''Star Wars'' film in 1977, Leia is a princess of the planet Alderaan, a member of the Galactic Empire (Star Wars ...
in the
original Originality is the aspect of created or invented works that distinguish them from reproductions, clones, forgeries, or substantially derivative works. The modern idea of originality is according to some scholars tied to Romanticism, by a notion t ...
''
Star Wars ''Star Wars'' is an American epic film, epic space opera media franchise created by George Lucas, which began with the Star Wars (film), eponymous 1977 film and Cultural impact of Star Wars, quickly became a worldwide popular culture, pop cu ...
'' films (1977–1983) and reprised the role in''
The Force Awakens ''Star Wars: The Force Awakens'' (also known as ''Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens'') is a 2015 American epic film, epic space opera film co-produced, co-written, and directed by J. J. Abrams. The sequel to ''Return of the Jedi ...
'' (2015), '' The Last Jedi'' (2017)—a posthumous release that was dedicated to her—and '' The Rise of Skywalker'' (2019), the latter using unreleased footage from ''The Force Awakens''. Her other film credits include ''
Shampoo Shampoo () is a hair care product, typically in the form of a viscous liquid, that is formulated to be used for cleaning (scalp) hair. Less commonly, it is available in solid bar format. (" Dry shampoo" is a separate product.) Shampoo is use ...
'' (1975), ''
The Blues Brothers The Blues Brothers (formally, The Fabulous Blues Brothers’ Show Band and Revue) are an American blues and soul music, soul revue band founded in 1978 by comedians Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi, who met and began collaborating as original cast ...
'' (1980), ''
Hannah and Her Sisters ''Hannah and Her Sisters'' is a 1986 American comedy-drama film written and directed by Woody Allen. It tells the intertwined stories of an extended family over two years that begins and ends with a family Thanksgiving#Thanksgiving dinner, Than ...
'' (1986), ''
The 'Burbs ''The 'Burbs'' is a 1989 American black comedy film directed by Joe Dante and written by Dana Olsen. It stars Tom Hanks, Bruce Dern, Carrie Fisher, Rick Ducommun, Corey Feldman, Wendy Schaal, Henry Gibson, and Gale Gordon. The film pok ...
'' (1989), '' When Harry Met Sally...'' (1989), ''
Soapdish ''Soapdish'' is a 1991 American comedy film directed by Michael Hoffman (American director), Michael Hoffman, from a screenplay by Robert Harling (writer), Robert Harling and Andrew Bergman. The film was produced by Aaron Spelling and Alan Greis ...
'' (1991), and '' The Women'' (2008). She was nominated twice for the
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series This is a list of winners and nominees of the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series. Prior to 1989, the category was not gender-specific, and, thus, was called Outstanding Guest Performer in a Comedy Series. It is ...
for her performances in the
NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast. It is one of NBCUniversal's ...
sitcom ''
30 Rock ''30 Rock'' is an American satire, satirical sitcom television series created by Tina Fey that originally aired on NBC from October 11, 2006, to January 31, 2013. The series, based on Fey's experiences as head writer for ''Saturday Night Live' ...
'' (2007) and the
Channel 4 Channel 4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television channel owned and operated by Channel Four Television Corporation. It is state-owned enterprise, publicly owned but, unlike the BBC, it receives no public funding and is funded en ...
series '' Catastrophe'' (2017). Fisher wrote several
semi-autobiographical An autobiography, sometimes informally called an autobio, is a self-written account of one's own life, providing a personal narrative that reflects on the author's experiences, memories, and insights. This genre allows individuals to share thei ...
novels, including ''
Postcards from the Edge ''Postcards from the Edge'' is the debut novel by the American actress and writer Carrie Fisher, first published in 1987. Based on Fisher's own experiences of fame and substance abuse, the semi-autobiographical novel was later adapted by Fisher ...
'' and an autobiographical one-woman play, and its nonfiction book, '' Wishful Drinking'', based on the play. She wrote the screenplay for the film version of ''Postcards from the Edge'' which garnered her a nomination for the
BAFTA Award for Best Adapted Screenplay The BAFTA Award for Best Adapted Screenplay is a film award presented annually at the British Academy Film Awards to a screenwriter for a specific film. It is awarded by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA), a British organisat ...
, and her one-woman stage show of ''Wishful Drinking'' received a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special. She worked on other writers' screenplays as a
script doctor A script doctor is a writer or playwright hired by a film, television, or theatre production company to rewrite an existing script or improve specific aspects of it, including structure, characterization, dialogue, pacing, themes, and other elemen ...
, including tightening the scripts for ''
Hook A hook is a tool consisting of a length of material, typically metal, that contains a portion that is curved/bent back or has a deeply grooved indentation, which serves to grab, latch or in any way attach itself onto another object. The hook's d ...
'' (1991), '' Sister Act'' (1992), ''
The Wedding Singer ''The Wedding Singer'' is a 1998 American romantic comedy film directed by Frank Coraci, written by Tim Herlihy, and produced by Robert Simonds and Jack Giarraputo. The film stars Adam Sandler, Drew Barrymore, and Christine Taylor, and tells th ...
'' (1998), and many of the films from the ''Star Wars'' franchise, among others. An ''
Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American online magazine, digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, ...
'' article from May 1992 described Fisher as "one of the most sought-after doctors in town." Fisher was the daughter of singer Eddie Fisher and actress
Debbie Reynolds Mary Frances "Debbie" Reynolds (April 1, 1932 – December 28, 2016) was an American actress, singer and entrepreneur. Her acting career spanned almost 70 years. Reynolds performed on stage and television and in films into her 80s. She was nom ...
. She and her mother appear together in '' Bright Lights: Starring Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds'', a documentary about their relationship. It premiered at the
2016 Cannes Film Festival The 69th Cannes Film Festival took place from 11 to 22 May 2016. Australian filmmaker George Miller (filmmaker), George Miller was the president of the jury for the main competition. French actor Laurent Lafitte was the host for the opening and ...
. She earned praise for speaking publicly about her experiences with
bipolar disorder Bipolar disorder (BD), previously known as manic depression, is a mental disorder characterized by periods of Depression (mood), depression and periods of abnormally elevated Mood (psychology), mood that each last from days to weeks, and in ...
and drug addiction. Fisher died of a sudden cardiac arrest in December 2016, at age 60, four days after experiencing a medical emergency during a transatlantic flight from London to Los Angeles. She was posthumously made a Disney Legend in 2017, and was awarded a posthumous
Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album The Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album has been awarded since 1959. The award has had several minor name changes: * In 1959 the award was known as Best Performance, Documentary or Spoken Word * From 1960 to 1961 it was awarded as Best Perform ...
the following year. In 2023, she posthumously received a star on the
Hollywood Walk of Fame The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a landmark which consists of 2,813 five-pointed terrazzo-and-brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in the Hollywood, Los Angeles, Hollywood dist ...
.


Early life

Carrie Frances Fisher was born on October 21, 1956, at
Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center is a Catholic hospital in Burbank, California. The hospital has 446 beds, and is part of Providence Health & Services. Its address is 501 South Buena Vista Street, Burbank, California 91505. On the opposit ...
in
Burbank, California Burbank is a city in the southeastern end of the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Located northwest of downtown Los Angeles, Burbank had a Census-estimated population of 102,755 as of 2023. The city was ...
, Abstract; full article requires subscription. to actress
Debbie Reynolds Mary Frances "Debbie" Reynolds (April 1, 1932 – December 28, 2016) was an American actress, singer and entrepreneur. Her acting career spanned almost 70 years. Reynolds performed on stage and television and in films into her 80s. She was nom ...
and singer Eddie Fisher. Fisher's paternal grandparents were
Russian-Jewish The history of the Jews in Russia and areas historically connected with it goes back at least 1,500 years. Jews in Russia have historically constituted a large religious and ethnic diaspora; the Russian Empire at one time hosted the largest po ...
immigrants, while her mother, who was raised a Nazarene, was of English and Scots-Irish descent. Fisher was two years old when her parents divorced in 1959 after it was revealed shortly following the death of Elizabeth Taylor's husband,
Mike Todd Michael Todd (born Avrom Hirsch Goldbogen; June 22, 1907 – March 22, 1958) was an American theater and film producer, celebrated for his 1956 ''Around the World in 80 Days (1956 film), Around the World in 80 Days'', which won an Academy ...
, that Eddie Fisher had been having an affair with her. Eddie Fisher and Taylor married that same year and divorced in 1964. Her father's third marriage, to actress
Connie Stevens Connie Stevens (born Concetta Rosalie Ann Ingoglia; August 8, 1938) is an American actress and singer. Born in Brooklyn to musician parents, Stevens was raised there until the age of 12, when she was sent to live with family friends in rural Mi ...
, resulted in the births of Fisher's two half-sisters,
Joely Fisher Joely Fisher ( ; born October 29, 1967) is an American actress and singer, the daughter of singer Eddie Fisher and actress Connie Stevens, and half-sister of actress Carrie Fisher. Her breakthrough came in 1994, starring as Paige Clark in the Ame ...
and Tricia Leigh Fisher. In 1960, her mother married Harry Karl, owner of a chain of shoe stores.* * * Reynolds and Karl divorced in 1973 when Fisher was 17 years old. Fisher "hid in books" as a child, becoming known in her family as " the bookworm". She spent her earliest years reading classic literature and writing poetry. She attended
Beverly Hills High School Beverly Hills High School (shortly as BHHS or Beverly) is a public high school in Beverly Hills, California. The other public high school in Beverly Hills is Moreno High School, a small alternative school located on Beverly Hills High School's c ...
until age 16, when she appeared as a
debutante A debutante, also spelled débutante ( ; from , ), or deb is a young woman of aristocratic or upper-class family background who has reached maturity and is presented to society at a formal "debut" ( , ; ) or possibly debutante ball. Origin ...
and singer in the hit Broadway revival ''
Irene Irene is a name derived from εἰρήνη (eirēnē), Greek for "peace". Irene, and related names, may refer to: * Irene (given name) Places * Irene, Gauteng, South Africa * Irene, South Dakota, United States * Irene, Texas, United States ...
'' (1973), also starring her mother. Her time on Broadway interfered with her education, resulting in her dropping out of high school. In 1973, she enrolled at London's
Central School of Speech and Drama The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, commonly shortened to Central, is a drama school founded by Elsie Fogerty in 1906, as the Central School of Speech Training and Dramatic Art, to offer a new form of training in speech and drama for ...
, which she attended for 18 months. Following her time there, she was accepted at
Sarah Lawrence College Sarah Lawrence College (SLC) is a Private university, private liberal arts college in Yonkers, New York, United States. Founded as a Women's colleges in the United States, women's college in 1926, Sarah Lawrence College has been coeducational ...
, where she planned to study the arts. She later left without graduating.


Career


1970s

Fisher made her film debut in 1975 as the precociously seductive character Lorna Karpf in the
Columbia Pictures Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc., Trade name, doing business as Columbia Pictures, is an American film Production company, production and Film distributor, distribution company that is the flagship unit of the Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group ...
comedy ''
Shampoo Shampoo () is a hair care product, typically in the form of a viscous liquid, that is formulated to be used for cleaning (scalp) hair. Less commonly, it is available in solid bar format. (" Dry shampoo" is a separate product.) Shampoo is use ...
'', filmed in mid-1974, when she was age 17. In 1977, Fisher starred as
Princess Leia Princess Leia Organa ( or ) is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. Introduced in the Star Wars (film), original ''Star Wars'' film in 1977, Leia is a princess of the planet Alderaan, a member of the Galactic Empire (Star Wars ...
in
George Lucas George Walton Lucas Jr. (born May 14, 1944) is an American filmmaker and philanthropist. He created the ''Star Wars'' and ''Indiana Jones'' franchises and founded Lucasfilm, LucasArts, Industrial Light & Magic and THX. He served as chairman ...
' space-fantasy film ''
Star Wars ''Star Wars'' is an American epic film, epic space opera media franchise created by George Lucas, which began with the Star Wars (film), eponymous 1977 film and Cultural impact of Star Wars, quickly became a worldwide popular culture, pop cu ...
'' (later retitled ''Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope'') opposite
Mark Hamill Mark Richard Hamill (; born September 25, 1951) is an American actor. He is best known for starring as Luke Skywalker in the ''Star Wars'' franchise, and the Joker (character), Joker in various animated DC Comics projects, starting with ''Batm ...
and
Harrison Ford Harrison Ford (born July 13, 1942) is an American actor. Regarded as a cinematic cultural icon, he has starred in Harrison Ford filmography, many notable films over seven decades, and is one of List of highest-grossing actors, the highest-gr ...
. Though her fellow actors were not close at the time, they bonded after the commercial success of the film. In April 1978, Fisher appeared as the love interest in
Ringo Starr Sir Richard Starkey (born 7 July 1940), known professionally as Ringo Starr, is an English musician, songwriter and actor who achieved international fame as the drummer for the Beatles. Starr occasionally sang lead vocals with the group, us ...
's 1978 TV special '' Ringo''. The next month, she starred alongside
John Ritter Johnathan Southworth Ritter (September 17, 1948 – September 11, 2003) was an American comedian and actor. He was a son of the singing cowboy star Tex Ritter and the father of actors Jason Ritter, Jason and Tyler Ritter. He is best known for ...
(who had also appeared in ''Ringo'') in the ABC-TV film ''Leave Yesterday Behind.'' At this time, Fisher appeared with
Laurence Olivier Laurence Kerr Olivier, Baron Olivier ( ; 22 May 1907 – 11 July 1989) was an English actor and director. He and his contemporaries Ralph Richardson and John Gielgud made up a trio of male actors who dominated the British stage of the m ...
and
Joanne Woodward Joanne Gignilliat Trimmier Woodward (born February 27, 1930) is an American retired actress. She made her career breakthrough in the 1950s and earned esteem and respect playing complex women with a characteristic nuance and depth of character. ...
in the anthology series ''
Laurence Olivier Presents ''Laurence Olivier Presents'' is a British television anthology series made by ITV Granada, Granada Television which ran from 1976 to 1978. The plays, with the exception of ''Hindle Wakes (play), Hindle Wakes'', all starred Laurence Olivier. S ...
'' in a television version of the William Inge play '' Come Back, Little Sheba''. That November, she played Princess Leia in the 1978 TV production '' Star Wars Holiday Special'', and sang in the last scene.


1980s

Fisher appeared in the film ''
The Blues Brothers The Blues Brothers (formally, The Fabulous Blues Brothers’ Show Band and Revue) are an American blues and soul music, soul revue band founded in 1978 by comedians Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi, who met and began collaborating as original cast ...
'' as
Jake Jake may refer to: Name * Jake (given name), including a list of persons and fictional characters with the name * Katrin Jäke (born c. 1975), German swimmer * Jake (gamer), American ''Overwatch'' player and coach * Jake, a member of the band Enhy ...
's vengeful ex-lover; she is listed in the credits as "Mystery Woman". While Fisher was in Chicago filming the movie, she choked on a Brussels sprout;
Dan Aykroyd Daniel Edward Aykroyd ( ; born July 1, 1952) is a Canadian actor, comedian, screenwriter, and producer. Aykroyd was a writer and an original member of the "Not Ready for Prime Time Players" cast on the NBC sketch comedy series ''Saturday Nigh ...
performed the Heimlich maneuver which "saved my life", according to Fisher. She appeared on Broadway in ''Censored Scenes from King Kong'' in 1980. The same year, she reprised her role as Princess Leia in ''
The Empire Strikes Back ''The Empire Strikes Back'' (also known as ''Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back'') is a 1980 American epic film, epic space opera film directed by Irvin Kershner from a screenplay by Leigh Brackett and Lawrence Kasdan, based o ...
'', and appeared with her ''Star Wars'' co-stars on the cover of the July 12, 1980, issue of ''
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. The magazine was first known fo ...
'' to promote the film. She also starred as Sister Agnes in the Broadway production of '' Agnes of God'' in 1983, a run which overlapped with her mother's appearance in the Broadway company of ''Woman of the Year''. In 1983, Fisher returned to the role of Princess Leia in ''
Return of the Jedi ''Return of the Jedi'' (also known as ''Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi'' is a 1983 American epic space opera film directed by Richard Marquand from a screenplay by Lawrence Kasdan and George Lucas. The sequel to '' The Empire ...
'', and posed in the character's metal bikini on the cover of the Summer 1983 issue of ''Rolling Stone'' to promote the film. The costume later achieved a following of its own. In 1986, she starred along with
Barbara Hershey Barbara Lynn Herzstein, better known as Barbara Hershey (born February 5, 1948), is an American actress. In a career spanning more than 50 years, she has played a variety of roles on television and in cinema in several genres, including Wester ...
and
Mia Farrow Maria de Lourdes Villiers "Mia" Farrow ( ; born February 9, 1945) is an American actress. She first gained notice for her role as Allison MacKenzie in the television soap opera ''Peyton Place (TV series), Peyton Place'' and gained further recogn ...
in
Woody Allen Heywood Allen (born Allan Stewart Konigsberg; November 30, 1935) is an American filmmaker, actor, and comedian whose career spans more than six decades. Allen has received many List of awards and nominations received by Woody Allen, accolade ...
's ''
Hannah and Her Sisters ''Hannah and Her Sisters'' is a 1986 American comedy-drama film written and directed by Woody Allen. It tells the intertwined stories of an extended family over two years that begins and ends with a family Thanksgiving#Thanksgiving dinner, Than ...
''. In 1987, Fisher published her first novel, ''
Postcards from the Edge ''Postcards from the Edge'' is the debut novel by the American actress and writer Carrie Fisher, first published in 1987. Based on Fisher's own experiences of fame and substance abuse, the semi-autobiographical novel was later adapted by Fisher ...
''. The book was semi-autobiographical in the sense that she fictionalized and satirized real-life events such as her drug addiction of the late 1970s and her relationship with her mother. It became a bestseller, and she received the Los Angeles Pen Award for Best First Novel. Also during 1987, she was in the Australian film '' The Time Guardian''. In 1989, Fisher played a major supporting role in '' When Harry Met Sally...'', and in the same year she appeared with
Tom Hanks Thomas Jeffrey Hanks (born July 9, 1956) is an American actor and filmmaker. Known for both his comedic and dramatic roles, he is one of the most popular and recognizable film stars worldwide, and is regarded as an American cultural icon. Ha ...
as his character's wife in ''
The 'Burbs ''The 'Burbs'' is a 1989 American black comedy film directed by Joe Dante and written by Dana Olsen. It stars Tom Hanks, Bruce Dern, Carrie Fisher, Rick Ducommun, Corey Feldman, Wendy Schaal, Henry Gibson, and Gale Gordon. The film pok ...
''.


1990s

In 1990,
Columbia Pictures Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc., Trade name, doing business as Columbia Pictures, is an American film Production company, production and Film distributor, distribution company that is the flagship unit of the Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group ...
released a film version of ''
Postcards from the Edge ''Postcards from the Edge'' is the debut novel by the American actress and writer Carrie Fisher, first published in 1987. Based on Fisher's own experiences of fame and substance abuse, the semi-autobiographical novel was later adapted by Fisher ...
'', adapted for the screen by Fisher and starring
Meryl Streep Mary Louise "Meryl" Streep (born June 22, 1949) is an American actress. Known for her versatility and adept accent work, she has been described as "the best actress of her generation". She has received numerous accolades throughout her career ...
,
Shirley MacLaine Shirley MacLaine (born Shirley MacLean Beaty; April 24, 1934) is an American actress and author. With a career spanning over 70 years, she has received List of awards and nominations received by Shirley MacLaine, numerous accolades, including a ...
, and
Dennis Quaid Dennis William Quaid (born April 9, 1954) is an American actor. He is known for his starring roles in '' Breaking Away'' (1979), '' The Right Stuff'' (1983), '' The Big Easy'' (1986), '' Innerspace'' (1987), '' Great Balls of Fire!'' (1989), ' ...
. Fisher appeared in the fantasy comedy film '' Drop Dead Fred'' in 1991, and played a therapist in '' Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery'' (1997). During the 1990s, Fisher also published the novels '' Surrender the Pink'' (1990) and '' Delusions of Grandma'' (1993). Fisher wrote an episode of the television sitcom ''
Roseanne ''Roseanne'' is an American television sitcom created by Matt Williams (producer), Matt Williams that originally aired on American Broadcasting Company, ABC from October 18, 1988, to May 20, 1997, and briefly revived from March 27, 2018, to May ...
'' entitled " Arsenic and Old Mom", in which her mother
Debbie Reynolds Mary Frances "Debbie" Reynolds (April 1, 1932 – December 28, 2016) was an American actress, singer and entrepreneur. Her acting career spanned almost 70 years. Reynolds performed on stage and television and in films into her 80s. She was nom ...
made a guest appearance. Fisher also did uncredited script work for movies such as '' Lethal Weapon 3'' (where she wrote some of
Rene Russo Rene Marie Russo (born February 17, 1954) is an American actress and model. She began her career as a fashion model in the 1970s, appearing on magazine covers such as '' Vogue'' and ''Cosmopolitan''. She made her film debut in the 1989 comedy '' ...
's dialogue), ''
Outbreak In epidemiology, an outbreak is a sudden increase in occurrences of a disease when cases are in excess of normal expectancy for the location or season. It may affect a small and localized group or impact upon thousands of people across an entire ...
'' (also starring Russo), ''
The Wedding Singer ''The Wedding Singer'' is a 1998 American romantic comedy film directed by Frank Coraci, written by Tim Herlihy, and produced by Robert Simonds and Jack Giarraputo. The film stars Adam Sandler, Drew Barrymore, and Christine Taylor, and tells th ...
'', and '' Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot''.


2000s

In the 2000 film ''
Scream 3 ''Scream 3'' is a 2000 American slasher film directed by Wes Craven and written by Ehren Kruger. It stars David Arquette, Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox Arquette, Parker Posey, Patrick Dempsey, Scott Foley, Lance Henriksen, Matt Keeslar, ...
'', Fisher played a former actress who acknowledges she looks like Fisher, and in 2001 she played a
nun A nun is a woman who vows to dedicate her life to religious service and contemplation, typically living under vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience in the enclosure of a monastery or convent.''The Oxford English Dictionary'', vol. X, page 5 ...
in the
Kevin Smith Kevin Patrick Smith (born August 2, 1970) is an American film director, producer, writer, and actor. He came to prominence with the low-budget buddy comedy film ''Clerks (film), Clerks'' (1994), which he wrote, directed, co-produced, and acted i ...
comedy '' Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back''. She also co-wrote the TV comedy film '' These Old Broads'' (2001), of which she was also co-executive producer. It starred her mother Debbie Reynolds, as well as
Elizabeth Taylor Dame Elizabeth Rosemond Taylor (February 27, 1932 – March 23, 2011) was an English and American actress. She began her career as a child actress in the early 1940s and was one of the most popular stars of classical Hollywood cinema in the 19 ...
,
Joan Collins Dame Joan Henrietta Collins (born 23 May 1933) is an English actress, author and columnist. She is the recipient of several accolades, including a Golden Globe Awards, a People's Choice Award, two Soap Opera Digest Awards and a Primetime Emm ...
, and
Shirley MacLaine Shirley MacLaine (born Shirley MacLean Beaty; April 24, 1934) is an American actress and author. With a career spanning over 70 years, she has received List of awards and nominations received by Shirley MacLaine, numerous accolades, including a ...
. In 2003 Fisher played Mother Superior, another nun, in '' Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle.'' In addition to acting and writing original works, Fisher was one of the top
script doctor A script doctor is a writer or playwright hired by a film, television, or theatre production company to rewrite an existing script or improve specific aspects of it, including structure, characterization, dialogue, pacing, themes, and other elemen ...
s in Hollywood, working on the screenplays of other writers. She did uncredited polishes on movies in a 15-year stretch from 1991 to 2005. She was hired by George Lucas to polish scripts for his 1992 TV series ''
The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles ''The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles'' (sometimes referred to as ''Young Indy'') is an American television series that aired on ABC from March 4, 1992, to July 24, 1993. Filming took place in various locations around the world, with "Old Indy" ...
'' and the dialogue for the ''Star Wars'' prequel scripts. Her expertise in this area was the reason she was chosen as one of the interviewers for the screenwriting documentary ''
Dreams on Spec ''Dreams on Spec'' is a 2007 American documentary film that profiles the struggles and triumphs of emerging Hollywood screenwriters. It was written and directed by Daniel J. Snyder, who learned first-hand about the screenwriter's travails in t ...
'' in 2007. In an interview in 2004, Fisher said she no longer did much script doctoring. Fisher also voiced
Peter Griffin Peter Löwenbräu Griffin Sr. ( né Justin Peter Griffin) is a fictional character and the protagonist of the American animated sitcom ''Family Guy''. He is voiced by the series' creator, Seth MacFarlane, and first appeared on television, a ...
's boss, Angela, on the animated sitcom ''
Family Guy ''Family Guy'' is an American animated sitcom created by Seth MacFarlane for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series premiered on January 31, 1999, following Super Bowl XXXIII, with the rest of the first season airing from April 11, 1999. Th ...
'' and wrote the introduction for a book of photographs titled '' Hollywood Moms'', which was published in 2001. Fisher published a sequel to ''Postcards'', '' The Best Awful There Is'', in 2004. In 2005, Women in Film & Video – DC recognized Fisher with the Women of Vision Award. Fisher wrote and performed in her one-woman play '' Wishful Drinking'' at the
Geffen Playhouse The Geffen Playhouse is a not-for-profit theater company founded in Los Angeles, California by Gilbert Cates in 1995. It produces plays in two theaters in Geffen Playhouse, which is owned by University of California Los Angeles. The Playhous ...
in Los Angeles from November 2006 to January 2007. Her show then played throughout 2008 at the Berkeley Repertory Theater, San Jose, the Hartford Stage, the Arena Stage and Boston. Fisher published her autobiographical book, also titled ''Wishful Drinking'', based on her successful play in December 2008 and embarked on a media tour. In 2009, Fisher returned to the stage with her play at the Seattle Repertory Theatre. ''Wishful Drinking'' then opened on Broadway in New York at
Studio 54 Studio 54 is a Broadway theatre, Broadway theater and former nightclub at 254 West 54th Street (Manhattan), 54th Street in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City, New York, U.S. Opened as the Gallo Opera House in 1927, it served ...
and played an extended run from October 2009 until January 2010. In December 2009, Fisher's audiobook recording of ''Wishful Drinking'' earned her a nomination for a 2009
Grammy Award The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious ...
in the Best Spoken Word Album category. Fisher joined
Turner Classic Movies Turner Classic Movies (TCM) is an American movie channel, movie-oriented pay television, pay-TV television network, network owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. Launched in 1994, Turner Classic Movies is headquartered at Turner's Techwood broadcas ...
host
Robert Osborne Robert Jolin Osborne (; May 3, 1932 – March 6, 2017) was an American film historian, author, actor and the primary television host for the premium cable channel Turner Classic Movies (TCM) for over twenty years. Prior to hosting at TCM, Os ...
on Saturday evenings in 2007 for ''The Essentials'' with informative and entertaining conversation on Hollywood's best films. She guest-starred in the episode titled "Sex and Another City" from season 3 of ''
Sex and the City ''Sex and the City'' is an American romantic comedy, romantic comedy-drama television series created by Darren Star for HBO, based on Sex and the City (newspaper column), the newspaper column and 1996 book by Candace Bushnell. It premiered in th ...
'' with
Sarah Jessica Parker Sarah Jessica Parker (born March 25, 1965) is an American actress and television producer. In a career spanning over five decades, she has performed across several productions of both Sarah Jessica Parker filmography, screen and stage. List o ...
. On October 25, 2007, Fisher guest-starred as Rosemary Howard on the second-season episode of ''
30 Rock ''30 Rock'' is an American satire, satirical sitcom television series created by Tina Fey that originally aired on NBC from October 11, 2006, to January 31, 2013. The series, based on Fey's experiences as head writer for ''Saturday Night Live' ...
'' called " Rosemary's Baby", for which she received an
Emmy Award The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the year, each with their own set of rules and award categor ...
nomination. On April 28, 2008, she was a guest on ''
Deal or No Deal ''Deal or No Deal'' is the name of several closely related television game shows, the first of which (launching the format) was the Dutch '' Miljoenenjacht'' (''Hunt/Chase for Millions''). The centerpiece of this format is the final round (a ...
''. In 2008, she also had a cameo as a doctor in the ''Star Wars''-related comedy '' Fanboys''. When asked if she was still working as a script doctor in December 2008, she said: "I haven't done it for a few years. I did it for many years, and then younger people came to do it and I started to do new things. It was a long, very lucrative episode of my life. But it's complicated to do that. Now it's all changed, actually. Now in order to get a rewrite job, you have to submit your notes for your ideas on how to fix the script. So they can get all the notes from all the different writers, keep the notes and not hire you. That's free work and that's what I always call life-wasting events."


2010s

In 2010, HBO aired a feature-length documentary based on a special live performance of Fisher's ''Wishful Drinking'' stage production. At the time of her death, Fisher had been preparing a sequel to the one-woman play. Fisher appeared on the seventh season of '' Entourage'' in the summer of 2010. She was among the featured performers at the '' Comedy Central Roast of
Roseanne ''Roseanne'' is an American television sitcom created by Matt Williams (producer), Matt Williams that originally aired on American Broadcasting Company, ABC from October 18, 1988, to May 20, 1997, and briefly revived from March 27, 2018, to May ...
'', which aired in August 2012. In her monologue, Fisher poked fun at her own mental illness, and her fellow roasters' reliance on weight and menopause jokes. Fisher joked that she had no idea why she was asked to roast Roseanne, until "they explained that we were actually good friends, and that apparently we have worked together." Host
Jane Lynch Jane Marie Lynch (born July 14, 1960) is an American actress, comedian, and singer. Known for playing starring and recurring roles in comedic television, her accolades include one Golden Globe, five Primetime Emmys and two Screen Actors Gui ...
joked that Fisher was there to add perspective to Roseanne's struggles with weight and drugs. Fellow roaster
Wayne Brady Wayne Alphonso Brady (born June 2, 1972) is an American comedian, actor, and singer. He is a regular cast member on the American version of the improvisational comedy television series '' Whose Line Is It Anyway?'' He was the host of the daytim ...
poked fun at Fisher's career, saying she was the only celebrity "whose action figure is worth more than you are." She was selected as a member of the main competition jury at the 2013 Venice Film Festival. She filmed an appearance on the UK comedy panel show '' QI'' that was broadcast on December 25, 2014. Fisher starred alongside Sharon Horgan and comedian Rob Delaney in the British comedy series '' Catastrophe'', that was first broadcast on
Channel 4 Channel 4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television channel owned and operated by Channel Four Television Corporation. It is state-owned enterprise, publicly owned but, unlike the BBC, it receives no public funding and is funded en ...
in the UK on January 19, 2015. Her last appearance on ''Catastrophe'', which aired in the UK on April 4, 2017, left many viewers in tears and earned her a posthumous
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series This is a list of winners and nominees of the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series. Prior to 1989, the category was not gender-specific, and, thus, was called Outstanding Guest Performer in a Comedy Series. It is ...
nomination. In a March 2013 interview following the announcement that a new trilogy of films would be produced, Fisher confirmed that she would reprise her role as Princess Leia in ''Episode VII'' of the ''Star Wars'' series. Fisher claimed that Leia was "Elderly. She's in an intergalactic old folks' home aughs I just think she would be just like she was before, only slower and less inclined to be up for the big battle." After other media outlets reported this on March 6, 2013, her representative said the same day that Fisher was joking and that nothing was announced. In a January 2014 interview, Fisher confirmed her involvement and the involvement of the original cast in the upcoming sequels by saying "as for the next ''Star Wars'' film, myself,
Harrison Ford Harrison Ford (born July 13, 1942) is an American actor. Regarded as a cinematic cultural icon, he has starred in Harrison Ford filmography, many notable films over seven decades, and is one of List of highest-grossing actors, the highest-gr ...
and
Mark Hamill Mark Richard Hamill (; born September 25, 1951) is an American actor. He is best known for starring as Luke Skywalker in the ''Star Wars'' franchise, and the Joker (character), Joker in various animated DC Comics projects, starting with ''Batm ...
are expected to report to work in March or April. I'd like to wear my old cinnamon buns hairstyle again but with white hair. I think that would be funny." In March 2014, Fisher stated that she was moving to London for six months because that was where ''Star Wars Episode VII'' filming would take place. On April 29, 2014, the cast for the new sequel was officially announced, and Fisher, along with Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill, Peter Mayhew,
Anthony Daniels Anthony Daniels ( ; born 21 February 1946) is an English actor and mime artist, best known for playing in 11 ''Star Wars'' films. He is the only actor to have either appeared in or been involved with all theatrical films in the series, and h ...
, and Kenny Baker, were all cast in their original roles for the film. ''Star Wars Episode VII'', subtitled ''The Force Awakens'', was released worldwide on December 18, 2015. Fisher was nominated for a 2016 Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress for her portrayal. In '' Rogue One'' (2016), which is set just before the original trilogy, young versions of Leia and the
Peter Cushing Peter Wilton Cushing (26 May 1913 – 11 August 1994) was an English actor. His acting career spanned over six decades and included appearances in more than 100 films, as well as many television, stage and radio roles. He achieved recognition f ...
character Grand Moff Tarkin appear through
computer animation Computer animation is the process used for digitally generating Film, moving images. The more general term computer-generated imagery (CGI) encompasses both still images and moving images, while computer animation refers to moving images. Virtu ...
. Fisher had completed filming her role as Leia in '' Star Wars: The Last Jedi'' (2017) shortly before her death. Director Rian Johnson has stated that many of Fisher's own ideas made it into the film, and that she supplied a few of Leia's lines. Fisher appeared posthumously in '' Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker'' (2019) via unreleased footage from ''The Force Awakens''. Fisher's memoir, '' The Princess Diarist'', was released in November 2016. The book is based on diaries she kept while filming the original ''Star Wars'' trilogy in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Her audiobook recording of the memoir earned her the 2018
Grammy Award The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious ...
for Best Spoken Word Album, awarded 13 months after her death. Fisher and her mother appear in '' Bright Lights: Starring Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds'', a 2016 documentary about their close relationship featuring interviews, photographs and home movies. The documentary premiered at the
2016 Cannes Film Festival The 69th Cannes Film Festival took place from 11 to 22 May 2016. Australian filmmaker George Miller (filmmaker), George Miller was the president of the jury for the main competition. French actor Laurent Lafitte was the host for the opening and ...
and was broadcast on January 7, 2017. Fisher appeared as herself in the final episode of series 1 of ''Urban Myths'' (2017) but the episode was never broadcast following objections by the Jackson family to Joseph Fiennes' portrayal of Michael Jackson in the episode.


2020s

Fisher was featured in the film '' Wonderwell'' with
Rita Ora Rita Sahatçiu Ora (; born Rita Sahatçiu; 26 November 1990) is a British singer-songwriter, television personality, and actress. Born in Pristina, modern-day Kosovo, she rose to prominence when she featured on DJ Fresh's 2012 single, "Hot Rig ...
, which was filmed in mid-2016 in Italy; it received a limited theatrical release on June 23, 2023, followed by a digital release.


Personal life


Marriages and relationships

In her 2016 autobiography ''The Princess Diarist'', Fisher wrote that she and
Harrison Ford Harrison Ford (born July 13, 1942) is an American actor. Regarded as a cinematic cultural icon, he has starred in Harrison Ford filmography, many notable films over seven decades, and is one of List of highest-grossing actors, the highest-gr ...
had a three-month affair during the filming of ''Star Wars'' in 1976. Fisher met musician
Paul Simon Paul Frederic Simon (born October 13, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter known for his solo work and his collaborations with Art Garfunkel. He and Garfunkel, whom he met in elementary school in 1953, came to prominence in the 1960s as Sim ...
through her friend actress
Shelley Duvall Shelley Alexis Duvall (July 7, 1949 – July 11, 2024) was an American actress and producer. She is known for her distinctive screen presence, her portrayals of eccentric characters, and her later productions in children's programming. Her acco ...
in 1978, and the pair began dating. In 1980, she was briefly engaged to Canadian actor and comedian
Dan Aykroyd Daniel Edward Aykroyd ( ; born July 1, 1952) is a Canadian actor, comedian, screenwriter, and producer. Aykroyd was a writer and an original member of the "Not Ready for Prime Time Players" cast on the NBC sketch comedy series ''Saturday Nigh ...
, who proposed to her on the set of their film ''
The Blues Brothers The Blues Brothers (formally, The Fabulous Blues Brothers’ Show Band and Revue) are an American blues and soul music, soul revue band founded in 1978 by comedians Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi, who met and began collaborating as original cast ...
''. She said: "We had rings, we got blood tests, the whole shot. But then I got back together with Paul Simon." Fisher was married to Simon from August 1983 to July 1984, and they dated again for a time after their divorce. During their marriage, she appeared in Simon's music video for the song " Rene and Georgette Magritte with Their Dog after the War". Simon's song " Hearts and Bones" is about their romance, and she is referred to in his song " Graceland", which was written after their divorce. Fisher said she felt privileged to appear in Simon's songs. Fisher subsequently had a relationship with the
Creative Artists Agency Creative Artists Agency, LLC (CAA) is an American talent and sports agency based in Los Angeles, California. With 1,800 employees in March 2016, it is regarded as an influential company in the talent agency business and manages numerous client ...
's principal
talent agent A talent agent, or booking agent, is a person who finds work for actors, authors, broadcast journalists, film directors, musicians, models, professional athletes, screenwriters, writers, dancers, and other professionals in various entertainm ...
, Bryan Lourd. Their only child, Billie Lourd, was born in 1992. Eddie Fisher stated in his autobiography (''Been There Done That'') that his granddaughter's name is Catherine Fisher Lourd and her nickname is "Billy". Carrie Fisher's relationship with Bryan Lourd ended when he left her for a man. In interviews, Fisher described Lourd as her second husband, but a 2004 profile revealed that she and Lourd were never legally married. Fisher had a close relationship with English singer-songwriter
James Blunt James Blunt (born James Hillier Blount, 22 February 1974) is an English singer, songwriter and musician. He is known for his songs "You're Beautiful" and "Goodbye My Lover". As a British Army captain in the aftermath of the Kosovo War, Blunt ...
. While working on his album '' Back to Bedlam'' in 2003, Blunt spent much of his time at Fisher's residence. When '' Vanity Fair'' George Wayne asked Fisher if their relationship was sexual, she replied: "Absolutely not, but I did become his therapist. He was a soldier. This boy has seen awful stuff. Every time James hears fireworks or anything like that, his heart beats faster and he gets 'fight or flight.' You know, he comes from a long line of soldiers dating back to the 10th century. He would tell me these horrible stories. He was a captain, a reconnaissance soldier. I became James' therapist. So it would have been unethical to sleep with my patient." On February 26, 2005, R. Gregory "Greg" Stevens, a 42-year-old lobbyist, was found dead in Fisher's California home. The final
autopsy An autopsy (also referred to as post-mortem examination, obduction, necropsy, or autopsia cadaverum) is a surgical procedure that consists of a thorough examination of a corpse by dissection to determine the cause, mode, and manner of deat ...
report listed the cause of death as "
cocaine Cocaine is a tropane alkaloid and central nervous system stimulant, derived primarily from the leaves of two South American coca plants, ''Erythroxylum coca'' and ''Erythroxylum novogranatense, E. novogranatense'', which are cultivated a ...
and
oxycodone Oxycodone, sold under the brand name Roxicodone and OxyContin (which is the extended-release form) among others, is a semi-synthetic opioid used medically for the treatment of moderate to severe pain. It is highly addictive and is a commonly ...
use" but added chronic and apparently previously undiagnosed heart disease as contributing factors. Media coverage of an initial autopsy report used the word "overdose", but that wording is not in the final report. In an interview, Fisher claimed that Stevens' ghost haunted her mansion, which unsettled her: "I was a nut for a year, and in that year I took drugs again." In her later years, Fisher had an
emotional support animal An emotional support animal (ESA) is an animal that provides support to individuals with a mental health or psychiatric disability. Emotional support animals are not required to be trained. Any animal that provides support, comfort, or aid, to an ...
, a French bulldog named Gary, that she brought to numerous appearances and interviews. Following her death, reports indicated that Fisher's daughter Billie Lourd would take care of Gary.


Advocacy

Fisher described herself as an "enthusiastic
agnostic Agnosticism is the view or belief that the existence of God, the divine, or the supernatural is either unknowable in principle or unknown in fact. (page 56 in 1967 edition) It can also mean an apathy towards such religious belief and refer to ...
who would be happy to be shown that there is a God." She was raised
Protestant Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that emphasizes Justification (theology), justification of sinners Sola fide, through faith alone, the teaching that Salvation in Christianity, salvation comes by unmerited Grace in Christianity, divin ...
, but often attended
Jewish Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...
services (her father's faith) with Jewish Orthodox friends. During the 1988 presidential election, Fisher was supportive to Democratic presidential nominee
Michael Dukakis Michael Stanley Dukakis ( ; born November 3, 1933) is an American politician and lawyer who served as governor of Massachusetts from 1975 to 1979 and from 1983 to 1991. He is the longest-serving governor in Massachusetts history and only the s ...
. In 2016,
Harvard College Harvard College is the undergraduate education, undergraduate college of Harvard University, a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Part of the Harvard Faculty of Arts and Scienc ...
gave Fisher its Annual Outstanding Lifetime Achievement Award in Cultural Humanism, noting that "her forthright activism and outspokenness about addiction,
mental illness A mental disorder, also referred to as a mental illness, a mental health condition, or a psychiatric disability, is a behavioral or mental pattern that causes significant distress or impairment of personal functioning. A mental disorder is ...
, and agnosticism have advanced public discourse on these issues with creativity and
empathy Empathy is generally described as the ability to take on another person's perspective, to understand, feel, and possibly share and respond to their experience. There are more (sometimes conflicting) definitions of empathy that include but are ...
." Fisher was a supporter and advocate for several causes, including women's advocacy, animal rights, and
LGBT LGBTQ people are individuals who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or questioning. Many variants of the initialism are used; LGBTQIA+ people incorporates intersex, asexual, aromantic, agender, and other individuals. The gro ...
causes. She was open about her experiences caring for friends who had
AIDS The HIV, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a retrovirus that attacks the immune system. Without treatment, it can lead to a spectrum of conditions including acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). It is a Preventive healthcare, pr ...
, contributing financially to various AIDS and HIV organizations, including hosting a benefit for amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research. She also served as an honorary board member for the International Bipolar Foundation, and, in 2014, received the Golden Heart Award for her work with The Midnight Mission. She was a spokesperson for Jenny Craig weight loss television ads that aired in January 2011.


Bipolar disorder and drug use

During appearances on '' 20/20'' and '' The Secret Life of the Manic Depressive'' with
Stephen Fry Sir Stephen John Fry (born 24 August 1957) is an English actor, broadcaster, comedian, director, narrator and writer. He came to prominence as a member of the comic act Fry and Laurie alongside Hugh Laurie, with the two starring in ''A Bit of ...
, Fisher publicly discussed her diagnosis of
bipolar disorder Bipolar disorder (BD), previously known as manic depression, is a mental disorder characterized by periods of Depression (mood), depression and periods of abnormally elevated Mood (psychology), mood that each last from days to weeks, and in ...
and her addictions to cocaine and
prescription medication A prescription drug (also prescription medication, prescription medicine or prescription-only medication) is a pharmaceutical drug that is permitted to be dispensed only to those with a medical prescription. In contrast, over-the-counter drugs ca ...
. She said her drug use was a form of self-medication; she used pain medication such as
Percodan Oxycodone/aspirin (trade name Percodan) is a combination drug marketed by Endo Pharmaceuticals. It is a tablet containing a mixture of 325 mg (5 Grain (unit), grains) of aspirin and 4.8355 mg of oxycodone, oxycodone HCl (equivalent t ...
to "dial down" the manic aspect of her bipolar disorder. She gave nicknames to her bipolar moods: Roy ("the wild ride of a mood") and Pam ("who stands on the shore and sobs"). "Drugs made me feel more normal", she explained to ''
Psychology Today ''Psychology Today'' is an American media organization with a focus on psychology and human behavior. The publication began as a bimonthly magazine, which first appeared in 1967. The print magazine's reported circulation is 275,000 as of 2023. ...
'' in 2001. "They contained me." She discussed her 2008 memoir '' Wishful Drinking'' and various topics in it with
Matt Lauer Matthew Todd Lauer (; born December 30, 1957) is a former American television news personality, best known for his work with NBC News. After serving as a local news personality in New York City on WNBC, his first national exposure was as the ne ...
on
NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast. It is one of NBCUniversal's ...
's ''
Today Today (archaically to-day) may refer to: * The current day and calendar date ** Today is between and , subject to the local time zone * Now, the time that is perceived directly, present * The current, present era Arts, entertainment and m ...
'' that same year, and also revealed that she would have turned down the role of Princess Leia had she realized it would give her the celebrity status that made her parents' lives difficult. This interview was followed by a similar appearance on ''
The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson ''The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson'' is an American late-night talk show hosted by Scottish actor and comedian Craig Ferguson. This was the third iteration of the The Late Late Show (American talk show), ''Late Late Show'' franchise, airi ...
'' on December 12, 2008, where she discussed her
electroconvulsive therapy Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a psychiatry, psychiatric treatment that causes a generalized seizure by passing electrical current through the brain. ECT is often used as an intervention for mental disorders when other treatments are inadequ ...
(ECT) treatments. At one point, she received ECT every six weeks to "blow apart the cement" in her brain. In 2014, she said she was no longer receiving the treatment. Her 2011 book '' Shockaholic'' describes these treatments. In another interview, Fisher revealed that she used cocaine during the filming of ''
The Empire Strikes Back ''The Empire Strikes Back'' (also known as ''Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back'') is a 1980 American epic film, epic space opera film directed by Irvin Kershner from a screenplay by Leigh Brackett and Lawrence Kasdan, based o ...
''. "Slowly, I realized I was doing a bit more drugs than other people and losing my choice in the matter", she noted. In 1985, after months of sobriety, she accidentally overdosed on a combination of prescription medication and sleeping pills. She was rushed to the hospital, creating the turn of events that led to much of the material in her novel and screenplay, ''
Postcards from the Edge ''Postcards from the Edge'' is the debut novel by the American actress and writer Carrie Fisher, first published in 1987. Based on Fisher's own experiences of fame and substance abuse, the semi-autobiographical novel was later adapted by Fisher ...
''. Asked why she did not take on the role of her story's protagonist, named Suzanne, in the film version, Fisher remarked, "I've already played Suzanne."


Death

After finishing the European leg of her book tour (her last TV appearance was on an episode of ''
8 Out of 10 Cats ''8 Out of 10 Cats'' (stylised as ''8 out of 10 CATS'') is a British comedy panel show that aired from 3 June 2005 to 17 January 2021. It was first broadcast on Channel 4 from 2005 to 2015, then More4 from 2016 to 2017, and finally E4 from ...
'' in the United Kingdom, broadcast December 21, 2016), Fisher was on a commercial flight on December 23, 2016, from London to Los Angeles when she had a medical emergency around fifteen minutes before the aircraft landed. A passenger seated near Fisher reported that she had stopped breathing; another passenger performed CPR on Fisher until paramedics arrived at the scene. Emergency services in Los Angeles were contacted when the flight crew reported a passenger unresponsive prior to landing. Fisher was taken by ambulance to the
Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center (also commonly referred to as UCLA Medical Center, RRMC or Ronald Reagan) is a hospital located on the campus of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), in Westwood, Los Angeles, California, United S ...
, where she was placed on a
ventilator A ventilator is a type of breathing apparatus, a class of medical technology that provides mechanical ventilation by moving breathable air into and out of the lungs, to deliver breaths to a patient who is physically unable to breathe, or breathi ...
. On the morning of December 27, 2016, after being in intensive care for four days, Fisher died at the age of 60 at the UCLA Medical Center. Fisher's daughter, Billie Lourd, confirmed her mother's death in a statement to the press. Many of her co-stars and directors from ''Star Wars'' and other works also shared their thoughts on her death. On January 9, 2017, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health issued a death certificate that stated "cardiac arrest/deferred" as the cause of death, with more tests to be expected. In a June 16, 2017 news release, the Los Angeles County coroner's office said that the exact cause of death could not be determined, but
sleep apnea Sleep apnea (sleep apnoea or sleep apnœa in British English) is a sleep-related breathing disorder in which repetitive Apnea, pauses in breathing, periods of shallow breathing, or collapse of the upper airway during sleep results in poor vent ...
and the buildup of fatty tissue on the walls of arteries were among the contributing factors. A full report from June 19, 2017, stated that Fisher had
cocaine Cocaine is a tropane alkaloid and central nervous system stimulant, derived primarily from the leaves of two South American coca plants, ''Erythroxylum coca'' and ''Erythroxylum novogranatense, E. novogranatense'', which are cultivated a ...
in her system, as well as traces of
heroin Heroin, also known as diacetylmorphine and diamorphine among other names, is a morphinan opioid substance synthesized from the Opium, dried latex of the Papaver somniferum, opium poppy; it is mainly used as a recreational drug for its eupho ...
, other
opiate An opiate is an alkaloid substance derived from opium (or poppy straw). It differs from the similar term ''opioid'' in that the latter is used to designate all substances, both natural and synthetic, that bind to opioid receptors in the brain ( ...
s, and
MDMA 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), commonly known as ecstasy (tablet form), and molly (crystal form), is an empathogen–entactogenic drug with stimulant and minor Psychedelic drug, psychedelic properties. In studies, it has been used ...
. The report also stated that the investigation was unable to determine when she had taken the drugs and whether they contributed to her death. Her daughter stated that Fisher "battled drug addiction and mental illness her entire life. She ultimately died of it. She was purposefully open in all of her work about the social stigmas surrounding these diseases.... I know my Mom, she'd want her death to encourage people to be open about their struggles." In her 2008 work '' Wishful Drinking,'' Fisher wrote that "no matter how I go, I want it reported that I drowned in moonlight, strangled by my own bra." After Fisher's death, several news sources and magazines honored her request in their obituaries, with ''
Bustle A bustle is a padded undergarment or wire frame used to add fullness, or support the drapery, at the back of women's dresses in the mid-to-late 19th century. Bustles are worn under the skirt in the back, just below the waist, to keep the skir ...
'' featuring a fantastical reimagining of Fisher's last moments as an ascent into space. On December 28, 2016, the day after Fisher's death, her mother, Debbie Reynolds, had a
stroke Stroke is a medical condition in which poor cerebral circulation, blood flow to a part of the brain causes cell death. There are two main types of stroke: brain ischemia, ischemic, due to lack of blood flow, and intracranial hemorrhage, hemor ...
at the home of her son, Todd, where the family was planning Fisher's burial arrangements. She was taken to
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center Cedars-Sinai Medical Center is a non-profit, Tertiary referral hospital, tertiary, 915-bed teaching hospital and multi-specialty academic health science centre, academic health science center located in Los Angeles, California. Part of the Cedars ...
, where she died later that afternoon. According to Todd, Reynolds had said, "I want to be with Carrie" immediately before she had the stroke. On January 5, 2017, a joint private memorial was held for Fisher and Reynolds. Fisher was
cremated Cremation is a method of Disposal of human corpses, final disposition of a corpse through Combustion, burning. Cremation may serve as a funeral or post-funeral rite and as an alternative to burial. In some countries, including India, Nepal, and ...
while her mother was entombed. A portion of Fisher's ashes was placed beside Reynolds in a crypt at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in
Hollywood Hills The Hollywood Hills is a residential neighborhood in the central region of Los Angeles, California. It borders Studio City, Universal City and Burbank on the north, Griffith Park on the north and east, Los Feliz on the southeast, Hollyw ...
. The remainder of those ashes are held in a giant
novelty Novelty (derived from Latin word ''novus'' for "new") is the quality of being new, or following from that, of being striking, original or unusual. Novelty may be the shared experience of a new cultural phenomenon or the subjective perception of an ...
Prozac pill.


Legacy

In the absence of a star for Fisher on the
Hollywood Walk of Fame The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a landmark which consists of 2,813 five-pointed terrazzo-and-brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in the Hollywood, Los Angeles, Hollywood dist ...
after her death, fans created their own memorial using a blank star. Along with flowers and candles, words put on the blank star read, "Carrie Fisher / May The Force Be With You Always / Hope". Fans also gathered at the Yoda Fountain outside the Lucasfilm offices in San Francisco. In June 2021, it was announced that Fisher would receive an official star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2022. She received the star on Star Wars Day 2023. In the video game '' Star Wars: The Old Republic'', thousands of fans paid tribute to Fisher by gathering at House Organa on the planet Alderaan where Fisher's character in ''Star Wars'' was raised. Lightsaber vigils and similar events in Fisher's honor were held at various
Alamo Drafthouse Cinema The Alamo Drafthouse Cinema is an American cinema chain founded in 1997 in Austin, Texas, which is famous for serving dinner and drinks during the film, as well as its strict policy of requiring its audiences to maintain proper cinema-going etiq ...
theaters and other sites. On January 6, 2017, the lights on Broadway in
Manhattan Manhattan ( ) is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the Boroughs of New York City, five boroughs of New York City. Coextensive with New York County, Manhattan is the County statistics of the United States#Smallest, larg ...
were darkened for one minute in honor of Fisher and her mother. Fisher and Reynolds were also both featured in the
89th Academy Awards The 89th Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), honored the best 2016 in film, films of 2016, and took place on February 26, 2017, at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles, Californ ...
''In Memoriam'' segment. On March 25, 2017, a public memorial for mother and daughter was held at the Hall of Liberty theater in Forest Lawn Memorial Park. The event was streamed live on Reynolds' website. On April 14, a special tribute to Fisher was held by
Mark Hamill Mark Richard Hamill (; born September 25, 1951) is an American actor. He is best known for starring as Luke Skywalker in the ''Star Wars'' franchise, and the Joker (character), Joker in various animated DC Comics projects, starting with ''Batm ...
during the ''Star Wars'' Celebration in
Orlando Orlando commonly refers to: * Orlando, Florida, a city in the United States Orlando may also refer to: People * Orlando (given name), a masculine name, includes a list of people with the name * Orlando (surname), includes a list of people wit ...
. The 2017 film ''Star Wars: The Last Jedi'' was dedicated to her memory. On October 27, 2023, James Blunt released an album including a track called "Dark Thought" about the death of Fisher, who was a friend of his.


Filmography

During her almost five-decade-long career, Fisher had appearances in over 50 films, as well as various television series, documentaries, late night talk shows, video games, and commercials. Her credits also include writing novels, screenplays, television specials and series episodes.


Works

Novels * ''
Postcards from the Edge ''Postcards from the Edge'' is the debut novel by the American actress and writer Carrie Fisher, first published in 1987. Based on Fisher's own experiences of fame and substance abuse, the semi-autobiographical novel was later adapted by Fisher ...
'' (1987), * '' Surrender the Pink'' (1990), * '' Delusions of Grandma'' (1993), * '' The Best Awful There Is'' (2004), Non-fiction * '' Hollywood Moms'' (2001; introduction), * '' Wishful Drinking'' (2008), * '' Shockaholic'' (2011), * '' The Princess Diarist'' (2016), Screenplays * ''
Postcards from the Edge ''Postcards from the Edge'' is the debut novel by the American actress and writer Carrie Fisher, first published in 1987. Based on Fisher's own experiences of fame and substance abuse, the semi-autobiographical novel was later adapted by Fisher ...
'' (1990) * '' These Old Broads'' (2001) * Doctored screenplays include '' Sister Act'' (1992), ''
Last Action Hero ''Last Action Hero'' is a 1993 American fantasy action comedy film directed and produced by John McTiernan and co-written by Shane Black and David Arnott. It is a satire of the action genre and associated clichés, containing several parodies ...
'' (1993), ''
Anastasia Anastasia (from ) is a feminine given name of Greek and Slavic origin, derived from the Greek word (), meaning "resurrection". It is a popular name in Eastern Europe. Origin The name Anastasia originated during the Early Christianity, early d ...
'' (1997) and ''
The Wedding Singer ''The Wedding Singer'' is a 1998 American romantic comedy film directed by Frank Coraci, written by Tim Herlihy, and produced by Robert Simonds and Jack Giarraputo. The film stars Adam Sandler, Drew Barrymore, and Christine Taylor, and tells th ...
'' (1998) Plays * ''Wishful Drinking'' (2006) * ''A Spy in the House of Me'' (2008) Audio *
William Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 23 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...
's '' Sonnet 29'' on Take All My Loves: 9 Shakespeare Sonnets (2016)


Awards and honors


References

Informational notes Citations


External links

* * * * *
"Working the Edge"
a 1990 ''
Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American online magazine, digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, ...
'' cover story profiling Fisher {{DEFAULTSORT:Fisher, Carrie 1956 births 2016 deaths 20th-century American actresses 20th-century American novelists 20th-century American dramatists and playwrights 20th-century American women writers 21st-century American actresses Actresses from Beverly Hills, California Actresses from Burbank, California Alumni of the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama American agnostics American child actresses American film actresses American former Protestants 20th-century American memoirists American people of English descent American people of Russian-Jewish descent American people of Scotch-Irish descent American stage actresses American television actresses American video game actresses American voice actresses American women dramatists and playwrights American women novelists American women screenwriters American women memoirists Accidental deaths in California Audiobook narrators Beverly Hills High School alumni Burials at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills) Disney Legends Drug-related deaths in California
Carrie Fisher Carrie Frances Fisher (October 21, 1956 – December 27, 2016) was an American actress and writer. She played Princess Leia in the Star Wars original trilogy, original ''Star Wars'' films (1977–1983) and reprised the role in'' Star Wars: The F ...
Grammy Award winners Novelists from California People with bipolar disorder Sarah Lawrence College alumni Screenwriters from California