“Help Me, Obi-Wan Kenobi. You’re My Only Hope,” she told R2-D2 with the famous lines that launched her into stardom, her hair fixed in those iconic braided buns.  She was our princess since 1977 and then became our General in 2015.
The legendary Carrie Fisher died at the age of 60 on Tuesday, December 27. According to the Associated Press, Fisher had been hospitalized after suffering a medical emergency last Friday (December 23) on a flight to Los Angeles.
“Carrie holds such as special place in the hearts of everyone at Lucasfilm it is difficult to think a world without her. She was Princess Leia to the world but a very special friend to us all. She had an indomitable spirit, incredible wit and a loving heart,” said Kathleen Kennedy, President of Lucasfilm.
Fisher’s daughter Billie Lourd released a statement through her publicist, Simon Halls on the morning of her mother’s death.
“It is with a very deep sadness that Billie Lourd confirms that her beloved mother Carrie Fisher passed away at 8:55 this morning. She was loved by the world and she will be missed profoundly,†said Halls.
Fisher was known for her famous role as Princess Leia in four films of the “Star Wars†saga that reshaped the female heroine, both on and off the screen.
“Carrie also defined the female hero of our age over a generation ago. Her groundbreaking role as Princess Leia served as an inspiration of power and confidence for young girls everywhere. We will miss her dearly,” said Kennedy.
But Fisher’s career was more than just a fiery she-warrior in space. Along with acting, Fisher was also a writer and an advocate for mental illness.
Daughter of Eddie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds, Fisher debuted with the comedy “Shampoo” (1975) alongside co-stars Lee Grant and Goldie Hawn, followed with an appearance in “The Blues Brothers” (1980) as the vengeful mystery ex-lover of Jake Blues. Â In 1987, Fisher took to pen, publishing her first novel “Postcards from the Edge,” later adapted into a film in 1990 starring Fisher and Meryl Streep.
From 1991 to 2005, Fisher traded reading scripts to writing them, becoming one of the top screenwriters in Hollywood. Her talents were recognized by the Women in Film and Video of Washington, DC, an organization dedicated to promoting women’s work in the film industry, presenting Fisher with the Women of Vision Award in 2005.
Along with several novels, including her recently published biography “The Princess Diarist,” based on the journals she kept while filming “A New Hope,” Fisher also took a hand at playwriting, penning and performing her one-woman play “Wishful Drinking†in 2006.
Open about her drug addiction and mental illness, Fisher turned to advocacy in 2016, working alongside the UK’s The Guardian in an “Advice from the Dark Side” column to help those struggling with similar problems.
The Walt Disney company joined the sea of fans and celebrities in commemorating Fisher across various social media platforms.
“Millions fell in love with her as the indomitable Princess Leia; she will always have a special place in the hearts of Star Wars fans as well as all of us who were lucky enough to know her personally. She will be solely missed and we join the millions of fans and friends around the world who mourn her loss today,” said Bob Iger, Chairman and CEO of the Walt Disney Company.
