Carrie Fisher

Über Carrie Fisher

Carrie Frances Fisher (October 21, 1956 – December 27, 2016) was a multi-talented American actress and author. She is best known for her iconic portrayal of Princess Leia in the original Star Wars trilogy, released between 1977 and 1983. Fisher returned to the beloved role in Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015) and The Last Jedi (2017), the latter being dedicated to her memory after her passing. She also appeared in The Rise of Skywalker (2019), utilizing previously unseen footage from The Force Awakens. In addition to her work in the Star Wars franchise, Fisher's filmography includes notable performances in titles such as Shampoo (1975), The Blues Brothers (1980), Hannah and Her Sisters (1986), The 'Burbs (1989), When Harry Met Sally... (1989), Soapdish (1991), and The Women (2008).

Fisher received two Primetime Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for her guest appearances on NBC's 30 Rock (2007) and the Channel 4 series Catastrophe (2017). She penned several semi-autobiographical novels, including Postcards from the Edge, and created a one-woman play alongside the nonfiction book Wishful Drinking, which was inspired by her life. Fisher also adapted Postcards from the Edge into a screenplay, earning a BAFTA Award nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay; her stage show Wishful Drinking was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety Special. Beyond her writing, she served as a script doctor on various films, enhancing screenplays for productions such as Hook (1991), Sister Act (1992), The Wedding Singer (1998), and several movies in the Star Wars series.

Born to singer Eddie Fisher and actress Debbie Reynolds, Fisher's relationship with her mother was explored in the documentary Bright Lights: Starring Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds, which debuted at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival. She gained recognition for candidly discussing her struggles with bipolar disorder and drug addiction. Tragically, Fisher passed away from cardiac arrest in December 2016, just days after a medical emergency during a flight from London to Los Angeles; she was 60 at the time. In honor of her contributions, she was posthumously named a Disney Legend in 2017 and received a posthumous Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album in the following year. In 2023, she was posthumously honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Fisher had a significant relationship with Bryan Lourd, a principal talent agent at the Creative Artists Agency, with whom she had her only child, Billie Lourd, born in 1992. Eddie Fisher noted in his autobiography that Billie’s full name is Catherine Fisher Lourd, with the nickname "Billy." Although Fisher referred to Lourd as her second husband in interviews, a 2004