Some girls grow up idolizing Disney princesses like Ariel or Belle, while others admire Princess Leia from Star Wars. No matter which one you gravitated towards, it’s safe to say we all felt the loss of Carrie Fisher, the actress behind the galaxy’s most beloved princess.
Fisher suffered a heart attack on December 23, 2016, and passed away four days later on December 27 at the age of 60, leaving fans heartbroken. Her journey to stardom and her many transformations throughout the years, however, remains unforgettable.
#1. Born into stardom
Carrie Fisher was born on October 21, 1956, into Hollywood royalty, the daughter of renowned singer Eddie Fisher and actress Debbie Reynolds, best known for her role in Singin’ in the Rain.
However, her early life was far from glamorous. Her father left Reynolds and their two children, Carrie and her younger brother, Todd, for their close family friend, actress Elizabeth Taylor.
In her autobiography, Fisher reflects on what it was like to grow up as the child of two of Hollywood’s biggest stars, saying, “When I arrived I was virtually unattended. And I have been trying to make up for that fact ever since.
My parents had this incredibly vital relationship with an audience, like muscle with blood. This was the main competition I had for my parents’ attention—an audience.”
#2. Competing with her famous mother
This sense of competition with her mother marked the beginning of the lifelong, complicated relationship between Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds. In her memoir, Fisher candidly wrote:
“I think it was when I was 10 that I realized with profound certainty that I would not be, and was in no way now, the beauty that my mother was. I was a clumsy-looking and intensely awkward, insecure girl.”
This early realization shaped much of her inner struggles, as she grew up in the shadow of her mother’s Hollywood stardom.
#3. Her battle with addiction
Fisher was candid about her struggles with substance abuse, sharing her experiences in her autobiography, Wishful Drinking.
She began smoking pot at just 13, eventually moving on to other drugs, including painkillers. As she humorously remarked, “You know how they say that religion is the opiate of the masses? Well, I took masses of opiates religiously.”
In an interview with Larry King on CNN, she elaborated, “I didn’t like illegal drugs; I liked legal drugs, so I liked medicine. I believed in the philosophy that you would feel better after taking two or eight of these. And I always wanted to feel better.”
This openness about her struggles resonated with many, highlighting the complexity of her journey.
#4. The princess we all know and love
Carrie Fisher became a pop culture icon with her portrayal of Princess Leia Organa in Star Wars, beginning with the franchise’s debut in 1977. George Lucas, the series’ creator, honored Fisher after her passing, stating, “She was our great and powerful princess—feisty, wise, and full of hope in a role that was more difficult than most people might think.
In a 1983 Rolling Stone interview, Fisher reflected on Leia’s character, saying, “She has no friends, no family; her planet was blown up in seconds—along with her hairdresser—so all she has is a cause. From the first film, she was just a soldier, front line and center. The only way they knew to make the character strong was to make her angry.
In Return of the Jedi, she gets to be more feminine, more supportive, and more affectionate. But let’s not forget that these movies are basically boys’ fantasies. So the other way they made her more female in this one was to have her take off her clothes.”
Fisher understood that her identity was forever tied to Leia, once remarking, “I am Princess Leia, no matter what. If I were trying to get a good table, I wouldn’t say I wrote Postcards. Or, if I’m trying to get someone to take my check and I don’t have ID, I wouldn’t say, Have you seen When Harry Met Sally? Princess Leia will be on my tombstone.”
#5. The secret love affair
In her final memoir, The Princess Diarist, Carrie Fisher unveiled a long-kept secret: her love affair with co-star Harrison Ford while filming Star Wars: A New Hope. At the time, Fisher was 19, while Ford was 33, married, and the father of two. Reflecting on the relationship, she told People, “It was Han and Leia during the week, and Carrie and Harrison during the weekend.”
After 40 years of silence, Fisher finally revealed the affair, admitting on the Today show, “I’m surprised at the reaction. I don’t think it is that surprising.” In The Princess Diarist, she shared excerpts from her personal diaries, chronicling that time.
“I told him [Harrison] I found the journals and I was going to publish them,” she recalled. Despite the decades that had passed, her candid revelation added another layer of intrigue to the legacy of Star Wars and the bond between its two most iconic characters.
#6. She was an advocate for mental health
Carrie Fisher became a powerful advocate for mental health, frequently discussing her struggles with bipolar disorder. Diagnosed at 24, Fisher didn’t fully accept the diagnosis until she was 29. In an interview with WebMD, she shared her journey, and in her memoir Wishful Drinking, she poignantly addressed the stigma surrounding mental illness:
“One of the things that baffles me (and there are quite a few) is how there can be so much lingering stigma with regards to mental illness, specifically bipolar disorder. In my opinion, living with manic depression takes a tremendous amount of balls…
At times, being bipolar can be an all-consuming challenge, requiring a lot of stamina and even more courage. So if you’re living with this illness and functioning at all, it’s something to be proud of, not ashamed of. They should issue medals along with the steady stream of medication.”
Her candidness about her condition and advocacy for mental health support left a lasting impact, inspiring many who faced similar struggles.
#7. Her marriage to Paul Simon
Carrie Fisher married renowned musician Paul Simon in 1983, reflecting on their relationship in her memoir Wishful Drinking: “We were together for more than 12 years (off and on), and we traveled a lot.”
However, their marriage ended in divorce less than a year later. In Homeward Bound: The Life of Paul Simon, author Peter Ames Carlin describes their tumultuous connection, noting, “[Carrie’s] depths were unimaginably deep, and Paul’s were nothing to sneeze at either, so they clung to each other with a passion that could both soothe and abrade.”
Fisher expressed feeling “pinned beneath Paul’s ever-spinning, ever-controlling brain,” highlighting how he, like many powerful men in her life, assumed control over every situation. Ultimately, this dynamic contributed to their decision to part ways for good, leaving a complex legacy of love and struggle in their wake.
#8. Her time in rehab took a toll
Carrie Fisher’s struggle with substance abuse reached a critical point when she entered rehab for the first time at 28. During this challenging period, she began to distance herself from her mother, the iconic actress Debbie Reynolds.
In a joint interview on The Oprah Winfrey Show, Fisher candidly expressed, “I didn’t want to be around her. I did not want to be Debbie Reynolds’ daughter.”
Reynolds revealed the painful consequences of this estrangement, stating, “It was total estrangement. She didn’t talk to me for probably 10 years… That was the most difficult time of all. Very painful. Very heartbreaking.”
Their complicated relationship during this tumultuous phase highlights the struggles both women faced, as they navigated the complexities of fame, family, and personal challenges.
#9. The published author and screenwriter
In addition to her iconic film roles, Carrie Fisher was also a talented published author and screenwriter. Known for her candidness, she once reflected in her memoir, Wishful Drinking, “I heard someone once say that we’re only as sick as our secrets.”
Her literary contributions included Postcards from the Edge, Shockaholic, and The Princess Diarist, which was released just a few months before her passing.
Fisher adapted Postcards from the Edge into a screenplay, leading to a successful film in 1990 starring Meryl Streep. Beyond her own works, she was sought after for her screenwriting skills, often polishing scripts for other writers. Notable films she contributed to include Sister Act, Hook, and The Wedding Singer. In an interview, Fisher humorously recalled her involvement with Hook:
“I’m in Hook with George [Lucas] — we’re extras, because I rewrote that. That was my first rewrite. We get pulled up in the air kissing. I forget what scene it is. Go look it up somewhere. It’s under ‘weirdness.'” Her versatility in both writing and acting showcased her immense talent and creativity in the entertainment industry.
#10. More than a princess
In addition to her iconic role as Princess Leia in the Star Wars series, Carrie Fisher graced the big screen in a variety of memorable films, including Austin Powers, The Blues Brothers, and When Harry Met Sally.
Her talent extended to television, where she made notable guest appearances on popular shows such as Saturday Night Live, Frasier, The Big Bang Theory, and Sex and the City, among many others. Fisher’s presence in both film and television solidified her status as a beloved and versatile figure in entertainment.
#11. Raising a daughter to follow in her footsteps
Despite both Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds advising against a career in acting, Fisher’s daughter, Billie Lourd, chose to follow in their illustrious footsteps.
At 24, Lourd has gained recognition for her role in Scream Queens and made a memorable appearance alongside her mother in Star Wars: The Force Awakens as Lieutenant Connix.
In an interview with Teen Vogue, Lourd reflected on her mother’s guidance, stating, “She told me to be true, kind, and confident in yourself. She raised me to not think of men and women as different. It’s kind of the reason she named me Billie; it’s not about being a strong woman — it’s about being a strong person.
She once told me, ‘I never sat you down with a credo. It was more about leading by example.'” This legacy of strength and authenticity continues to inspire Lourd as she carves her own path in the industry.
#12. The revolutionary feminist
There’s no doubt that Carrie Fisher was a feminist from an early age, a conviction shaped significantly by her iconic role as Princess Leia in the Star Wars series, particularly her memorable appearance in the gold bikini from Return of the Jedi.
In a 2016 interview with Stephen Colbert, Fisher remarked, “Even in space, there’s a double standard.” During a joint interview with The Force Awakens co-star Daisy Ridley, she urged, “Don’t be a slave like I was … You keep fighting against that slave outfit.”
In her book Shockaholic, Fisher reflected on the pressures of maintaining her appearance, saying, “What I didn’t realize, back when I was this 25-year-old pinup for geeks… was that I had signed an invisible contract to stay looking the exact same way for the next 30 to 40 years. Well, clearly I’ve broken that contract.”
Fisher also critiqued societal standards of beauty in an interview with Good Housekeeping UK, stating, “We treat beauty like an accomplishment, and that is insane. Everyone in LA says, ‘Oh, you look good,’ and you listen for them to say you’ve lost weight. It’s never ‘How are you?’ or ‘You seem happy!'”
Though Princess Leia is no longer with us, her legacy continues to challenge perceptions of sexism and femininity, influencing how we respond to these issues in ways that resonate even in galaxies far, far away.
#13. Lifetime achievement
Carrie Fisher’s candidness about her mental health struggles led to her receiving the Annual Outstanding Lifetime Achievement Award in Cultural Humanism from Harvard College in 2016.
While accepting the award, she expressed her pride in her openness, stating, “I’ve never been ashamed of my mental illness; it never occurred to me. Many people thank me for talking about it, and mothers can tell their kids when they are upset with the diagnosis that Princess Leia is bipolar too.”
Fisher’s willingness to share her experiences not only helped reduce stigma around mental illness but also provided hope and relatability for many who faced similar challenges. Her legacy continues to inspire those who look to her as a symbol of resilience and authenticity.
#14. Bringing the family back together
Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds worked hard to rebuild their relationship over the years, ultimately growing closer than ever. Tragically, Reynolds passed away just one day after Fisher’s death.
In a heartfelt statement following their loss, Todd Fisher, Carrie’s brother, shared, “She simply said that she didn’t get to see Carrie come back from London. She expressed how much she loved my sister. She then said she really wanted to be with Carrie.” Just 15 minutes after that conversation, Reynolds faded away, and within half an hour, she had passed.
This poignant connection between mother and daughter underscores the deep bond they shared, leaving a lasting impact on their loved ones and fans alike.
#15. May the force be with her
That’s a beautiful tribute. Carrie Fisher truly left a remarkable legacy, inspiring countless individuals with her strength, honesty, and talent. She will always be remembered for her impactful journey and the joy she brought to so many. Rest in peace, dear princess.
