Carrie Fisher: Her Life, Her Loves and Her Legacy. (40+ photos)

Carrie Fisher's Life in Pictures

Actress and entertainer Debbie Reynolds has the horrendous chore of having to bury her own daughter, something no parent should ever endure. The fact that her daughter was writer, actress and comedian Carrie Fisher, immortalized forever as Star Wars’ Princess Leia Organa, makes that a painful duty the public will mourn along with Ms. Reynolds.

Carrie Fisher: Her Life, Her Loves and Her Legacy

Carrie Frances Fisher, born in Beverly Hills, CA to singer Eddie Fisher and actress Debbie Reynolds, Oct. 21. 1957
Carrie Frances Fisher, born in Beverly Hills, CA to singer Eddie Fisher and actress Debbie Reynolds, Oct. 21. 1957

This is a post I don’t have to write because every magazine, blog, news outlet and Star Wars fan will cover the tragic passing of Carrie Fisher in great depth. But Carrie’s movies and her books were such a big impact on my own life that I must share some of my favorite photos and information about her – a cathartic tribute of sorts.

Carrie and her mother, Debbie Reynolds in 1971, Globe Photos, REX, Shutterstock
Carrie and her mother, Debbie Reynolds in 1971, Globe Photos, REX, Shutterstock
Carrie is lifted by co-star and Wookie, Peter Mayhew, while filming.
Carrie is lifted by co-star and Wookie, Peter Mayhew, while filming.

She stood only 5’1″ with a husky voice and a wonderfully sarcastic sense of humor. Her big brown eyes seduced us from her first onscreen appearance as Lorna in 1975’s Shampoo starring Warren Beatty.

Carrie Fisher in her first onscreen movie role, Shampoo, 1975
Carrie Fisher in her first onscreen movie role, Shampoo, 1975

She won over fans as the “mystery woman” in 1980’s The Blues Brothers and as Paula in 1985’s The Man With One Red Shoe

Carrie Fisher on the set of The Blues Brothers in 1980
Carrie Fisher on the set of The Blues Brothers in 1980

She proved her acting chops in Woody Allen’s 1986 Hannah and Her Sisters and as Marie in 1989’s When Harry Met Sally.

Carrie Fisher with Sam Waterston and Dianne Wiest in Woody Allen’s 1986 movie Hannah and Her Sisters
Carrie Fisher with Sam Waterston and Dianne Wiest in Woody Allen’s 1986 movie Hannah and Her Sisters
Billy Crystal, Bruno Kirby, Carrie Fisher and Meg Ryan in 1989’s When Harry Met Sally
Billy Crystal, Bruno Kirby, Carrie Fisher and Meg Ryan in 1989’s When Harry Met Sally

But of course it was her memorable turn as Princess Leia Organa – and three memorable hairstyles – in the Star Wars franchise for which she is best known. (to see her full filmography, go here)

carrie fisher life in pictures

tribute to carrie fisher

Carrie was a brilliant writer, actress, comedienne and mental health advocate who suffered from bipolar disorder (about which she was very public), alcoholism and drug abuse since an early age. Fisher, 60, suffered a massive heart attack aboard an 11-hour flight from London to Los Angeles last Friday when she went into cardiac arrest 15 minutes prior to landing at LAX. She died Tuesday morning, December 27th at 8:55 am.

Carrie posted this photo, her last on Instagram, on Dec 21st (lightened by if it's hip, it's here)
Carrie posted this photo, her last on Instagram, on Dec 21st (lightened by if it’s hip, it’s here)

At the time of her death Carrie was promoting her latest book, filming for the Amazon TV series Catastrophe, writing an advice column for The Guardian and was soon to be a columnist for The London Telegraph. And I’m sure she had other projects in the works as well.

The princess diarist by carrie fisher

I don’t even know how to begin to express the sadness that the unexpected passing of the actress and writer provokes within me personally and undoubtedly, in millions of fans.

Star Wars

Carrie Fisher as Princess Leia in the first Star Wars movie, 1977
Carrie as Princess Leia in the first Star Wars movie, 1977

She was best known for her role as Princess Leia Organa in Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope (1977) (aka Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope (1977)), Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi (1983), and 32 years later, “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.”

Carrie Fisher in Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back, 1980
Carrie in Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back, 1980
Carrie in Episode VI – Return of the Jedi in 1983
Carrie in Episode VI – Return of the Jedi in 1983

Lucasfilm said on Tuesday that Ms. Fisher had completed her work in an as-yet-untitled eighth episode of the main “Star Wars” saga, which is scheduled to be released in December 2017.

Carrie Fisher and Harrison Ford in 2015’s Star Wars- Episode VII – The Force Awakens
Carrie Fisher and Harrison Ford in 2015’s Star Wars- Episode VII – The Force Awakens

Images of her from Return Of The Jedi, clad in her sexy metal Bikini, adorned the walls of pre-pubescent men everywhere in the 80s.

Carrie Fisher and her stunt double on the set of Return of The Jedi
Carrie Fisher and her stunt double on the set of Return of The Jedi

Rolling Stone magazine featured these fabulous photos of her by photographer Aaron Rapoport, in the infamous bikini, in a 1983 editorial to promote the film (you can purchase the issue here):
carrie fisher by aaron rappoport

carrie fisher by aaron rappoport

carrie fisher by aaron rappoport

carrie fisher star wars bikini aaron rappoport

Author

She was the author of five bestselling novels; Wishful Drinking, Surrender the Pink, Delusions of Grandma, The Best Awful, and Postcards from the Edge, which was made into a hit film starring Shirley MacLaine and Meryl Streep.

Postcards from the Edge movie poster
Postcards from the Edge was semi-biographical with Meryl Streep as Carrie Fisher and Shirley MacLaine as Debbie Reynolds

She turned her novel, Wishful Drinking, into a brilliant one-woman play that also aired on HBO.(stream it or rent it here if you haven’t seen it)

Carrie in Wishful Drinking at The Geffen Playhouse, 2006
Carrie in Wishful Drinking at The Geffen Playhouse, 2006
Carrie in Wishful Drinking, Chicago, 2011
Carrie in Wishful Drinking, Chicago, 2011

Her most recent book, The Princess Diarist was just published on November 22nd and has already been named a PEOPLE Magazine Best Book of Fall 2016.

In addition to writing the aforementioned books, she also wrote the screenplay for Postcards from the Edge and she worked as a script doctor, saving many troubled productions by rewriting screenplays.

Fisher’s experience with addiction and mental illness–and her willingness to speak honestly about them made her a sought-after speaker and respected advocate. She had even begun writing an advice column for The Guardian called Advice from the Dark Side.

Marriage and Children

Paul Simon and Carrie Fisher Wedding – August 16, 1983 at Paul Simon’s Central Park West Apartment in New York City (Photo by Ron Galella/WireImage)

She was only married once (although she was engaged to Dan Aykroyd at one point), to singer Paul Simon and for less than a year (from August 1983 to July 1984) but continued to date him on and off for 8 years after their divorce.

carrie fisher and paul simon
carrie fisher and paul simon

She bore a single child, 24 year old actress Billie Lourd (Scream Queens), from a relationship with the talent agent Bryan Lourd.

Fisher with daughter Billie Lourd at the Star Wars: The Force Awakens premeire
Fisher with daughter Billie Lourd at the Star Wars: The Force Awakens premeire

In her most recent biography, she reveals having had a brief affair during filming with Harrison Ford.

Carrie Fisher with Harrison Ford in New York for the premiere of their film Star Wars.
Carrie Fisher with Harrison Ford in New York for the premiere of their film Star Wars.
Carrie Fisher and Harrison Ford goofing around on set.
Carrie Fisher and Harrison Ford goofing around on set.

Gary

French bulldog Gary, Carrie’s constant companion for the past few years

carrie fisher and her dog

Carrie’s French bulldog Gary accompanied her everywhere, even onto TV talk show sets whenever she was a guest.

Carrie Fisher and her dog attending a Star Wars celebration at ExCel, London, in July 2016
Carrie Fisher and her dog attending a Star Wars celebration at ExCel, London, in July 2016

The actress posted numerous Instagram images of herself with Gary (who also has his own twitter account @garyfisher)

Carrie's 2016 Mother's Day Instagram pic with Gary
Carrie’s 2016 Mother’s Day Instagram pic with Gary (lightened by if it’s hip, it’s here)
Carrie having afternoon tea with Gary at The Ritz (lightened by if it's hip, it's here)
Carrie having afternoon tea with Gary at The Ritz (lightened by if it’s hip, it’s here)

She was in the midst of creating a retail collection of her most popular tweets and custom designs in a variety of apparel which was to launch soon.

carrie & gary's tee shirt shop

Bright Lights: Starring Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds

carrie fisher and debbie reynolds performing

Earlier this year, Bright Lights: Starring Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds directed by Alice Bloom and Fisher Stevens debuted. The 95 minute HBO documentary, presented in Cannes Classics, revisits two golden eras in American cinema through the deeply personal story of Debbie Reynolds and Carrie Fisher. An exploration of a mother-daughter relationship in the public gaze, made for HBO. It premiered at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival and can be streamed, rented or purchased here.

Carrie with her mother, Debbie Reynolds, in 2007
Carrie with her mother, Debbie Reynolds, in 2007

Thousands of photos exist of the woman who was born into Hollywood royalty on Oct 21, 1956 as the daughter of Debbie Reynolds and Eddie Fisher (who ended up leaving Reynolds for Elizabeth Taylor). Here are a few more of my favorites.

young carrie fisher

photos of carrie fisher

vintage carrie fisher

carrie fisher life in pictures

carrie fisher

Her own website features a timeline of her career, her numerous published novels and her love for Gary, her Frenchie who had his own twitter account.

To say she will be missed is an understatement.
images courtesy of Getty, Lucasfilm Ltd, Carrie’s own website and her twitter account and Gary’s instagram account

Addendum: It is almost unfathomable, but Carrie’s famous Mother and her best friend, Debbie Reynolds, passed away the very next day. Undoubtedly from a broken heart.

Mother Debbie Reynolds and daughter Carrie Fisher, together again.
Mother Debbie Reynolds and daughter Carrie Fisher, together again.