- In full:
- Carrie Frances Fisher
- Born:
- October 21, 1956, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
- Died:
- December 27, 2016, Los Angeles (aged 60)
- Notable Works:
- “Postcards from the Edge”
- “Shockaholic”
- “The Princess Diarist”
- Notable Family Members:
- father Eddie Fisher
- mother Debbie Reynolds
- Married To:
- Paul Simon (1983–1984)
- Movies/Tv Shows (Acted In):
- "A Nero Wolfe Mystery" (2002)
- "Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens" (2015)
- "Family Guy" (2005–2017)
- "Hannah and Her Sisters" (1986)
- "Catastrophe" (2015–2017)
- "Smallville" (2005)
- "Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back" (1980)
- "Hollywood Vice Squad" (1986)
- "Heartbreakers" (2001)
- "Frasier" (1995)
- "The Big Bang Theory" (2014)
- "When Harry Met Sally..." (1989)
- "Garbo Talks" (1984)
- "Under the Rainbow" (1981)
- "Laverne & Shirley" (1982)
- "Trying Times" (1989)
- "Soapdish" (1991)
- "Weeds" (2007)
- "Fanboys" (2009)
- "Drop Dead Fred" (1991)
- "30 Rock" (2007)
- "Maps to the Stars" (2014)
- "Wonderland" (2003)
- "Sex and the City" (2000)
- "Side Order of Life" (2007)
- "Good Morning, Miami" (2003)
- "The Man with One Red Shoe" (1985)
- "Shampoo" (1975)
- "Loverboy" (1989)
- "A Midsummer Night's Rave" (2002)
- "This Is My Life" (1992)
- "Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi" (2017)
- "The Keith Lemon Sketch Show" (2015)
- "Suffering Man's Charity" (2007)
- "Odd Job Jack" (2007)
- "She's Back" (1989)
- "Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle" (2003)
- "The 'Burbs" (1989)
- "Stateside" (2004)
- "The Blues Brothers" (1980)
- "White Lightnin'" (2009)
- "Cougar Club" (2007)
- "Lisa Picard Is Famous" (2000)
- "Faerie Tale Theatre" (1984)
- "Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist" (1998)
- "Entourage" (2010)
- "Appointment with Death" (1988)
- "It's Like, You Know..." (1999)
- "Undiscovered" (2005)
- "Gun" (1997)
- "Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope" (1977)
- "Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi" (1983)
- "Sibling Rivalry" (1990)
- "The Time Guardian" (1987)
- "Jack & Bobby" (2004)
- "Sorority Row" (2009)
- "Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back" (2001)
- "Legit" (2014)
- "Girlfriends' Guide to Divorce" (2014–2016)
- "Amazon Women on the Moon" (1987)
- "Disneyland" (1986)
- "The Women" (2008)
- "Scream 3" (2000)
- Movies/Tv Shows (Writing/Creator):
- "Roseanne" (1997)
- "Carrie on Hollywood" (1995)
- "The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones" (1999)
- "The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles" (1993)
- "Postcards from the Edge" (1990)
Carrie Fisher
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Who was Carrie Fisher?
Carrie Fisher (1956–2016) was an American actress and writer, most famous for playing Princess Leia in the Star Wars films.
Fisher was the daughter of Debbie Reynolds and Eddie Fisher. Her acting career began with a role in the 1973 Broadway revival of Irene, which starred her mother. Her film debut was in Shampoo (1975). Besides acting, Fisher wrote, and her first novel, Postcards from the Edge, was published in 1987. She also had success with her autobiographical one-woman play, Wishful Drinking, which debuted in Los Angeles in 2006 and moved to Broadway in 2009.
1 Britannica SourceCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
What is Carrie Fisher most famous for?
Carrie Fisher (1956-2016) was an American actress and writer, most famous for her role as Princess Leia in the Star Wars space opera.
Beyond acting, Fisher was also a critically acclaimed writer. Her semi-autobiographical novel, Postcards from the Edge, drew from her experiences as the daughter of an actress and her struggles with drug addiction. She also wrote the screenplay for the film adaptation of the novel. Later in life, she found success with her one-woman play, Wishful Drinking, and a best-selling autobiography of the same name.
2 Britannica SourcesCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
Which character did Carrie Fisher play in the Star Wars movies?
Carrie Fisher is best known for her portrayal of Princess Leia in the Star Wars films. She played the character in Star Wars (1977; later called Star Wars: A New Hope), Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (1980), Star Wars: Return of the Jedi (1983), and Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015). She also appeared in Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017), which was released posthumously, and archival footage of her was featured in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019).
1 Britannica SourceCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
Did Carrie Fisher have any other important roles besides Star Wars?
Carrie Fisher, best known for her role as Princess Leia in Star Wars, had a diverse career as an actress and writer.
Some of her notable acting roles include The Blues Brothers (1980), Hannah and Her Sisters (1986), and When Harry Met Sally... (1989). Fisher also appeared in TV shows such as Laverne & Shirley (1982), Frasier (1995), and Sex and the City (2000).
Besides acting, Fisher was a talented writer, known for her semi-autobiographical novel, Postcards from the Edge (1987), which she adapted into a screenplay for the 1990 film starring Meryl Streep. She also contributed as a script doctor, polishing screenplays for various films.
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What books or writings did Carrie Fisher create?
Carrie Fisher was an American actress and writer, most famous for her role as Princess Leia in Star Wars. Drawing from her experiences as the daughter of an actress and her struggles with drug addiction and bipolar disorder, she became a critically acclaimed author.
Her writings include:
* Postcards from the Edge (1987).
* Surrender the Pink (1990).
* Delusions of Grandma (1994).
* The Best Awful (2004).
* Wishful Drinking (2008).
* Shockaholic (2011).
* The Princess Diarist (2016).In addition to writing novels and memoirs, Fisher was also a script doctor who polished screenplays for numerous films.
1 Britannica SourceCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
How did Carrie Fisher influence mental health awareness or pop culture?
Carrie Fisher, celebrated for her role as Princess Leia in Star Wars, candidly shared her struggles with substance abuse and bipolar disorder.
Her openness, displayed in her novel Postcards from the Edge (1987) and her autobiographical play Wishful Drinking, helped reduce stigma and raise mental health awareness. Fisher's willingness to discuss her personal challenges contributed to broader conversations about mental health in both Hollywood and pop culture.
2 Britannica SourcesCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Carrie Fisher (born October 21, 1956, Los Angeles, California, U.S.—died December 27, 2016, Los Angeles) was an American actress and author who was perhaps best known for her portrayal of Princess Leia in the space opera Star Wars. She also earned critical acclaim for her writing.
Fisher was the daughter of movie star Debbie Reynolds and popular crooner Eddie Fisher. Her parents’ marriage broke up (very publicly) when she was a toddler, and she was largely raised by her mother. Fisher’s acting career began when she appeared onstage in the 1973 Broadway revival of the 1919 musical Irene, which starred her mother. Her film debut was in the social comedy Shampoo (1975). Two years later she was cast as Princess Leia in Star Wars (1977; later called Star Wars: A New Hope). The film was a sensation, and Fisher became a star. She embodied the character again in Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (1980), Star Wars: Return of the Jedi (1983), and Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015). She also appeared in Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017), which was released posthumously. In addition, archival footage of her was featured in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019). Fisher’s other films included The Blues Brothers (1980), The Man with One Red Shoe (1985), Hannah and Her Sisters (1986), and When Harry Met Sally… (1989).
Through much of her adult life, Fisher struggled with both substance abuse and bipolar disorder. In addition to acting, she began writing, and in 1987 her first novel, Postcards from the Edge, was published. The book, based on her own experiences as the daughter of an actress and with drug addiction, was insightful, candid, and humorous and won critical acclaim. She wrote the screenplay for the 1990 film version, which starred Meryl Streep. Fisher’s life also informed her next two novels, Surrender the Pink (1990) and Delusions of Grandma (1994).
Though she continued to act, from 1990 Fisher was in demand as a script doctor, polishing screenplays for numerous films. She also produced a sequel to Postcards from the Edge titled The Best Awful (2004). Fisher had greater success with her autobiographical one-woman play, Wishful Drinking, which debuted in Los Angeles in 2006 and moved to Broadway in 2009. In addition, in 2008 she published a best-selling autobiography of the same title, and her reading of the audiobook version was nominated for the 2009 Grammy Award for spoken-word recording. Her other works included the memoir Shockaholic (2011) and The Princess Diarist (2016), which includes a selection of journal entries written during the filming of the first Star Wars movie.
On December 27, 2016, Fisher died after suffering a heart attack, and her mother passed away the following day. Their relationship was chronicled in the HBO documentary Bright Lights: Starring Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds (2016).