I’d Just as soon Kiss a Wookiee – Remembering Carrie Fisher
2016 has been a difficult year for celebrities and the generations they represent. The year started with music Icon David Bowie and then followed by world renown actor Alan Rickman. As the year went on it continued to get worse. Losing the likes of Prince, Nancy Reagan, and Muhammad Ali to name but a few. As 2016 began to draw a close there seemed to be a lapse where no shocking deaths appeared to happen. Then on Christmas Day we learned of the tragic death of George Michael in his home to heart failure and the cycle renewed. Before the holiday weekend there was a scare when Carrie Fisher suffered a major heart attack on a plane to Los Angeles. After a couple days it seemed the worse had past as good news came from her family that she was stable. All Star Wars fans rejoiced that she was going to pull through, but before we all knew it, our beloved Princess Leia, Carrie Fisher, became one with the Force.
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Carrie Fisher was born in Beverly Hills, California on October 21, 1956. Being born to famous parents, Eddie Fisher (singer) and Debbie Reynolds (actress), she had every opportunity to succeed as an actress. First appearing in the hit Broadway revival Irene as a singer and debutante along side her mother who was the star of the production. Her big screen debut was in the 1975 film Shampoo along side Warren Beatty, Julie Christie, and Goldie Hawn. Fisher attempted to go to school multiple times to help hone her craft but after starring in Star Wars in 1977 that made it very difficult and she stepped away from her schooling. This opened the door for her to accept more roles as they came in. She finished out the 70s with TV movie roles before leaping into the 80s with Empire Strikes Back and The Blues Brothers. Some of her more prominent roles from the 1980s saw her in movies such as Return of the Jedi, Hannah and her Sisters, The Burbs, and When Harry Met Sally. Also in 1987 she published her first novel entitled Postcards from the Edge. This is a semi-autobiographical work of fiction that is a satirical look at her life growing up with drug addiction and relationship with her mother. In 1990 Columbia Pictures adapted this into a film of the same name starring Meryl Streep, Shirley MacClaine, and Dennis Quaid. Fisher kept a low profile in the 1990s where she appeared in most notably Drop Dead Fred and Austin Powers International Man of Mystery. She also had uncredited script work for movies like Lethal Weapon 3, Outbreak, and The Wedding Singer. When the 2000s hit Fisher started spending more time away from the camera than in front of it. She had many cameos in films like Jay and Silent Bob Strike back, Scream 3, and most notably to Star Wars fans the 2008 Fan Boys. She also voiced Peter Griffin’s boss, Angela, for Family Guy. Carrie began to speak out more and more about her mental health and her dependency issues she dealt with growing up. In 2005 Women in Film & Video – DC recognized her with the Women of Vision Award. In 2006 Fisher wrote and starred in her one woman play, Wishful Drinking. This play went on from November 2006 to January 2007 at the Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles. It was so successful that it played throughout 2008 at the Berkeley Repertory Theater in San Jose, then the Hartford Stage in Connecticut, the Arena Stage in DC, and Boston. Following the play she published her autobiography with the same name, Wishful Drinking, and embarked on the media tour. In 2009 she was back at it again as her play opened up in Seattle and on Broadway in NY at Studio 54. The run on Broadway lasted from October 2009 to January 2010. The audiobook for Wishful Drinking then received a Grammy Nomination for Best Spoken Word Album. In 2010 HBO aired a feature-length documentary based on a special live performance of her hit play, Wishful Drinking. In 2016 she released the book, The Princess Diarist. The book is based upon the diaries that she kept on the set of Star Wars while she was filming them in the late 70s/early 80s. As we all know that she made a triumphant return to the Star Wars universe in 2015s The Force Awakens. She recently finished filming her role for Episode VIII before her untimely death.
This is only a small glimpse of the life she had lead. I am sure that between her autobiography and her Princess memoirs there is much more we never knew about the gifted actress. She was an actress, author, producer, screenwriter, and public speaker. From what fans have said about her at Cons she was sharp with a quick wit and a dirty sense of humor that was on display at all times. She loved the fans and the fans loved her. There is no denying her legacy as an actress as she refused to let her most famous role dictate who she was going to become. Marching to the beat of her own drum she tackled issues and rose awareness for conditions like Bipolar Disorder, Drug Addiction, and Alcoholism. She was living proof that no matter how far you fall you can always recover. Her spirit will live on in all of us. She has touched every single one of our lives in some way. For me I know the first time I saw Carrie Fisher was in Star Wars, as I am sure that is the first time for many of you as well. I grew up watching her and loving Princess Leia. She was my first ever crush, and I am not ashamed in anyway to admit that. On this day, December 27th, 2016 we lost our very first Princess from our childhood. Celebrate and remember her for the joy and happiness she brought us. But also remember her for all the good she did in her life. From the stars and heavens she came to us…from a galaxy far away. We now return you to those very stars, never forgetting and never letting you leave our hearts. Rest well fair Princess–you have earned it. While you are up there, don’t forget to call them scruffy looking nerf herders for us. Until we meet again, may the Force be with you and all of us as well.
