It was with devastating news yesterday that the whole world found out that after her heart attack Carrie Fisher died aged 60, drowned in moonlight strangled by her bra.
Carrie was, and will still be for a lot of people, Princess Leia. From a low budget science fiction film made, almost, 40 years ago. It is hard to separate the two. The character and the actress has become one.
From a 6 year old watching Star Wars for the first time in the Odeon in Cheltenham, I fell in love with her. We all did. In the classic white costume in Star Wars to the more infamous costume in Return of the Jedi
But Carrie was a lot more than just a princess in need of rescuing.
Married, for about a year, to Paul Simon and then had a relationship with Bryan Lourd ( until he left her for another man ). She had a daughter with Lourd, Billie Lourd.
After Star Wars, she never played a character that struck us like she did with Leia. Some of her funniest works were half forgotten. Her characters in The Blues Brothers & When Harry Met Sally… are better than her playing a princess with two buns strapped to her ears.
the 90s saw her step behind the camera and became one of Hollywood’s most wanted script doctor. Helping sort out the script for some of the 90s biggest movies, including the Star Wars prequels. She also suffered from bipolar disorder. Also a long time love of painkillers and illegal drugs. Both that she would be very open talking about
Before I wrap up I give you this great piece of her taking all her built up anger out at George Lucas for ruining her life & costing her money every time she looked in a mirror
Finally, I leave you with why the start of this obituary has a strange cause of death. This comes from her autobiography, and one woman show, Wishful Drinking. Many other obituaries also carry this, strange, cause of death to honour her wishes.
Remember the white dress I wore all through that film [Star Wars]? George came up to me the first day of filming, took one look at the dress and said: ‘You can’t wear a bra under that dress.’
‘OK, I’ll bite,’ I said. ‘Why?’ And he said: ‘Because … there’s no underwear in space.’
He said it with such conviction. Like he had been to space and looked around and he didn’t see any bras or panties anywhere.
He explained. ‘You go into space and you become weightless. Then your body expands but your bra doesn’t, so you get strangled by your own underwear.’
I think that this would make for a fantastic obituary. I tell my younger friends that no matter how I go, I want it reported that I drowned in moonlight, strangled by my own bra.
It is also being reported that her mother, Debbie Reynolds has also died aged 84. My thoughts, and prayers, go out to their family & friends.
Carrie Francis Fisher, October 21, 1956 – December 27, 2016, drowned in moonlight, strangled by her own bra.
