Almost everyone who has ever heard of Star Wars knows of Princess Leia, one of the main protagonists in the Star Wars franchise, ever since her portrayal by Carrie Fisher in the original and sequel film trilogies. Leia was a human who was born on the asteroid Polis Massa two days after the end of the Clone Wars. She was the daughter of Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker and Senator Padmé Amidala, and the younger twin sister of Luke Skywalker.
Carrie Fisher was an American actress, writer, and singer. She was best known for her role as Princess Leia Organa in the Star Wars franchise. Fisher was born in Beverly Hills, California, in 1956. She was the daughter of singer Eddie Fisher and actress Debbie Reynolds. The one thing that is common between Princess Leia and Fisher is that they were both symbols of hope and resistance, and they will continue to inspire people for generations to come.
Fisher’s time in Hollywood and the time she roasted George Lucas
Carrie Fisher began her acting career in the early 1970s, appearing in films such as Shampoo and The Blues Brothers. She achieved international fame in 1977 with the release of the original Star Wars trilogy. She also reprised her role as Princess Leia in the subsequent prequel trilogy. In addition to her acting career, Fisher was also a successful writer. She has published two semi-autobiographical novels, Postcards from the Edge and Wishful Drinking, and several other fiction and nonfiction books.
Besides all of the aforementioned, Fisher also had great comic sense and timing. In one such instance, at the American Film Institute Life Achievement Award: A Tribute To George Lucas, she roasted George Lucas, the original creator of the Star Wars franchise, who is also the writer and director for the original and the subsequent prequel trilogies of the same franchise. She said,
“Hi, I’m Mrs. Han Solo and I’m an alcoholic;” “I’m an alcoholic because George Lucas ruined my life.”
“George is a sadist.” “But like any abused child wearing a metal bikini chained to a giant slug about to die, I keep coming back for more.”
Well, ouch. That’s gotta burn (and both ways, too).
With the audience in splits, she then praises Lucas too
Knowing Fisher and her feistiness, of course, she has got to make her audience believe that she is now changing gears in her speech; but that obviously comes with course readjustment. She then goes on to praise him with a touch of her biting sense of humor, saying—
“I’m only slightly bitter because you, my formerly silent friend, are an extraordinary talent. And let’s face it, an artist. The like of which is seen perhaps once in a generation, who helps define that generation. And who deserves every award I now spend the latter half of my Leia-laden life helping to hurl your way.”
You go, gurl.
Besides being great at the umpteen things that she was undeniably amazing at, Fisher was also a vocal advocate for mental health awareness and addiction recovery. She was open about her own struggles with bipolar disorder and drug addiction. Fisher died in 2016 at the age of 60. She was a talented actress, writer, and singer who left a lasting legacy. She will be remembered for her roles in Star Wars, her candid writing, and her advocacy for mental health awareness.
Source: Vox.com
