lifestyle THURSDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2016

OBITUARY

Hollywood's 'princess' Carrie Fisher dead at 60

This Nov 13, 1978 file photo shows, from left, Kenny Baker, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, Carrie Fisher, Harrison Ford, and Mark Hamill during the filming of the CBS-TV special ‘The Star Wars Holiday’ in Los Angeles. — AP/AFP photos

fter decades of fast living that her fearless "Star Wars" pouring in soon after news of her death spread on social ing debut "Postcards from the Edge," which she turned into a while filming "Star Wars: Episode IV-A New Hope" in 1976. character Princess Leia would have struggled to keep up media, led by "Star Wars" co-stars Mark Hamill-Luke film of the same name in 1990 starring Meryl Streep and "Carrie was one-of-a-kind-brilliant, original. Funny and emo- Awith, Carrie Fisher died Tuesday following a massive Skywalker in the saga-who initially tweeted that he was "dev- Shirley MacLaine. A talented screenwriter, Fisher has revised tionally fearless. She lived her life bravely... We will all miss her," heart attack. She was 60. The American actress, best-selling astated" and had "no words." numerous scripts, including "Sister Act" (1992), "Outbreak" Ford told AFP in a statement. Fisher was briefly married to author and screenwriter-who suffered from numerous addic- "It's never easy to lose such a vital, irreplaceable member of (1995) and "The Wedding Singer" (1998). She gave various singer/songwriter Paul Simon in the 1980s. Her daughter Billie, tions she later turned into writing gold-was a member of the family, but this is downright heartbreaking," he said later. interviews over the years about her diagnosis of bipolar disor- also an actress, comes from her relationship with talent agent Hollywood royalty, both on screen and off. Born in Los Angeles "Carrie was one-of-a-kind who belonged to us all-whether she der and addiction to prescription drugs and cocaine, which she Bryan Lourd. in October 1956, the daughter of actress Debbie Reynolds and liked it or not." "Star Wars" creator George Lucas called Fisher admitted using on the set of "The Empire Strikes Back" (1980). The eighth episode of the main "Star Wars" series-due singer Eddie Fisher became an international star overnight "extremely smart; a talented actress, writer and comedienne for release in December next year-wrapped filming in July, with the release of "Star Wars" in 1977. with a very colorful personality that everyone loved." The leg- 'Unhappy experiences' according to Variety magazine, and will probably be her Leia was the tough rebel princess in a white dress with a endary filmmaker Steven Spielberg described her as "a force of Asked by Vanity Fair in 2006 how she persuaded "Star Wars" last big-screen appearance. She was due to appear in 2017 strange hairdo and blaster guns, who was unafraid to stare nature, of loyalty and of friendship" while Walt Disney director George Lucas to give her the part of Princess Leia, she fantasy adventure "Wonderwell," according to the Internet down the villainous Darth Vader. Six years later in "Return of Company chief Bob Iger said she was "a true character who said: "I slept with some nerd. I hope it was George." She "took Movie Database, although the status of the shoot was not the Jedi," she became a sex symbol in a barely-there metal biki- shared her talent and her truth with us all." too many drugs to remember" who it was, she added. She also immediately clear and it has no publicly announced ni-but remained the tough heroine, killing her slug-like gang- discussed being treated with electroconvulsive therapy, in release date. — AFP ster jailer Jabba the Hutt by choking him with the chain he Hollywood royalty, Hollywood excess which small electric currents are passed through the brain, to used to hold her captive. Steeped in Hollywood excess from an early age, she was the trigger brief seizures and treat depression. In her first agony The blockbuster space saga is now part of pop culture leg- product of the four-year marriage between Reynolds, best aunt column for the British Guardian newspaper in June, the end and a worldwide fan favorite. Fisher was back in the spot- known for her role in "Singin' In The Rain," and Fisher. The rela- actress promised to "provide solicited advice, based on a life light after reprising her iconic role in 2015's "Star Wars: The tionship, and the happy home in Beverly Hills, came to an end filled with pratfalls and accidents." Fisher told her readers that Force Awakens." She was returning Friday from the London leg when Fisher left Reynolds for her close friend, the actress the addictions, heartbreak and mental illness she had endured of a tour promoting her headline-grabbing memoir "The Elizabeth Taylor. The early 1980s were marked by problems amounted to a "fair share of challenging and unhappy experi- Princess Diarist" when she collapsed 15 minutes before landing with alcohol, drugs and depression for Fisher, who appeared in ences." "Over time, I've paid attention, taken notes and forgot- in Los Angeles, where paramedics and hospital staff were a number of critical flops, including "Under the Rainbow" ten easily half of everything I've gone through. But I'll rifle unable to revive her. (1981) and "Hollywood Vice Squad" (1986). through the half I recall and lay it at your feet." Her recently- "It is with a very deep sadness that Billie Lourd confirms She was widely praised for her performance in the hit 1989 released memoir "The Princess Diarist" is based on journals she that her beloved mother Carrie Fisher passed away at 8:55 comedy "When Harry Met Sally," but began to turn her back on kept while filming the "Star Wars" trilogy. this morning," family spokesman Simon Halls said in a state- acting in favor of writing. She became known for her searingly The memoir made headlines because of a section in which ment to AFP on behalf of Fisher's daughter. Tributes began honest semi-autobiographical writing, including her best-sell- Fisher admits a three-month affair with co-star Harrison Ford

In this Nov 13, 1978 file photo, Harrison Ford talks with Carrie Fisher during a break in the filming of the CBS-TV special ‘The Star Wars Holiday’ in Los Angeles. Harrison Ford remembers Fisher as 'one-of-a-kind', 'original' arrison Ford eulogized his "Star Wars" co-star Carrie Fisher as a "one-of-a-kind" person and Han "original" after the actress died Tuesday at the age of 60. "Carrie was one-of-a-kind...brilliant, In this Nov 14, 2015, file photo, Carrie Fisher, left, and her daughter Billie Catherine In this Sunday, Jan 25, 2015 file photo, This Sept 14, 1990 file photo shows actress and original," Ford said in a statement. "Funny and emo- Lourd arrive at the Governors Awards at the Dolby Ballroom in Los Angeles. Carrie Fisher presents the life achieve- author Carrie Fisher in Beverly Hills, Calif. tionally fearless. She lived her life, bravely." Ford went ment award on stage at the 21st annual on to say that his thoughts were with Fisher's mother Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Debbie Reynolds, daughter Billie Lourd, and brother Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. Todd Fisher. Related Carrie Fisher Completed Work on 'Star Wars: Episode VIII' Before Her Death "We will all miss her," he said. Fisher recently revealed that she and Ford had an exciting three-month affair during the making of the first "Star Wars" film. She was 19 years old, while Ford was 33, married, and a father of two. Fisher said that she informed the actor that she was going to reveal their affair in her memoir, "The Princess Diarist," which was published this year. She had some regrets about going public. "He's incredibly private," Fisher told People. "I feel really bad about doing that to him. But yes, I told him I found the journals and I was going to publish them, and he sort of went, 'Lawyer!'" Ford and Fisher also created on-screen sparks. Their characters in the "Star Wars" films, Han Solo and Princess Leia, have a combative rela- tionship that ultimately results in a passionate romance. Both actors reprised their roles in last winter's "Star Wars: The Force Awakens." Fisher suffered a heart attack on Friday while on a flight from London to Los Angeles. She died Tuesday morning. She was a member of a prominent show business family: Her mother, Debbie Reynolds, was the star of "Singin' in the Rain," and her father, Eddie Fisher, was a popular recording star. In addition to "Star Wars," Fisher wrote the best-selling novel "Postcards From the Edge" and appeared in "Soapdish" and "When Harry This file photo taken on June 09, 2005 shows (from left) Actors Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher and Harrison Ford speaking on In this May 23, 1980, file photo, actress Carrie Fisher hugs Met Sally."— Reuters stage during the 33rd AFI Life Achievement Award tribute to George Lucas at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, a person dressed as a stormtrooper in London while pro- California. moting the ‘Star Wars’ epic ‘The Empire Strikes Back.’