Carrie Fisher: Drowned in Moonlight, Strangled by Her Own Bra
Jenna Pappas ’20/ Emertainment Monthly Staff Writer
Carrie Fisher passed away December 27th at age sixty after suffering a heart attack four days earlier. Although the world lost her much too soon, she leaves behind an amazing legacy. Fisher is most known for her famous character, Princess Leia, in the Star Wars saga. She played a crucial role in the original trilogy and fans were thrilled to see her back in 2015’s Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Many actors are usually annoyed when recognized as their most iconic role, but over the years Fisher has significantly warmed up to the attention, saying, “People want me to say that I’m sick of playing Leia and that it ruined my life. If my life was that easy to ruin, it deserved to be ruined.” Fellow Star Wars actors Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, Billy Dee Williams, and creator George Lucas all have expressed their grief about Fisher’s passing.
Fisher was also known for much more than her Star Wars fame. She was also a gifted author, writing eight books in her lifetime as well as a couple screenplays. Fisher’s most recent book, The Princess Diarist, came out in November and consists of Fisher’s journal entries as a nineteen year-old filming the first Star Wars film. In one of her books she requests that all obituaries and tributes to say that she died by drowning in moonlight, strangled by her own bra. This is the type of humor Fisher was known for, and it’s a part of what made her a one of a kind. Her most famous book is Postcards from the Edge, a semi-autobiographical novel about an actress overcoming her drug addiction. A 1990 movie of the same name written by Fisher and starring Meryl Streep came out to critical acclaim and box office success. Fisher herself struggled with addiction and was diagnosed as bipolar. Although this caused challenges, in her life she used her experiences to educate the world on addiction and bipolar. Thanks to her advocacy, many celebrities and people have been more open about their mental health and have sought help.
After Carrie Fisher’s passing the world is also discovering her talent as a script doctor. She helped polish up scripts for Hook, Lethal Weapon 3, Sister Act, and The Wedding Singer. She also played memorable roles in beloved movies such as The Blues Brothers, The Burbs, and When Harry Met Sally. She was a woman of many talents, and earned the admiration and the love of the world.
Fisher’s scenes for 2017’s Star Wars: Episode VIII were already filmed before her passing, so fans can still see her in the upcoming movie. She is survived by her mother, brother, daughter, and many close friends.