Meta description: Carrie Fisher biography covers her 1956 birth, Princess Leia role in Star Wars, novels and memoirs, 2018 Grammy Award, mental health advocacy, and 2016 death at age 60.
Carrie Fisher was an American actress and writer, born Carrie Frances Fisher on October 21, 1956, in Burbank, California. She was best known for playing Princess Leia in the Star Wars films. She wrote semi-autobiographical novels, including Postcards from the Edge, and spoke publicly about bipolar disorder and drug addiction. She died on December 27, 2016, at age 60.
Who was Carrie Fisher?
Carrie Fisher was an American actress, writer, and humorist who played Princess Leia in Star Wars. She also worked as a script doctor on other writers’ screenplays. Her recognized work includes the novel Postcards from the Edge and the one-woman show Wishful Drinking.
What are the key facts about Carrie Fisher?
Table 1 lists the core facts about Carrie Fisher. Each row is one attribute. The columns show the attribute name and the recorded value.
| Attribute | Recorded Value |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Carrie Frances Fisher |
| Date of birth | October 21, 1956 |
| Birthplace | Burbank, California |
| Date of death | December 27, 2016 |
| Age at death | 60 years |
| Parents | Debbie Reynolds and Eddie Fisher |
| Best-known role | Princess Leia in the original Star Wars films (1977 to 1983) |
| First novel | Postcards from the Edge (1987) |
| Final memoir | The Princess Diarist (November 2016) |
| Grammy Award | 2018, Best Spoken Word Album (posthumous) |
When and where was Carrie Fisher born?
Carrie Fisher was born on October 21, 1956, at Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center in Burbank, California. Her parents were the actress Debbie Reynolds and the singer Eddie Fisher. One news profile lists Beverly Hills as her birthplace, but Wikipedia, IMDb, and Biography.com list Burbank.
Who were Carrie Fisher’s parents?
Carrie Fisher’s parents were the actress Debbie Reynolds and the singer Eddie Fisher. Her parents divorced in 1960. She and her mother appear in the documentary Bright Lights: Starring Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds, which premiered at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival.
How did Carrie Fisher become famous?
Carrie Fisher became famous in 1977 by playing Princess Leia Organa in Star Wars. The 1977 film was her first leading role. She appeared opposite Mark Hamill and Harrison Ford. She earned 4 Saturn Award nominations for the role.
Which Star Wars films did Carrie Fisher appear in?
Table 2 lists her Star Wars films. Each row is one film. The columns show the film, the release year, and the recorded detail.
| Film | Year | Recorded Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Original trilogy | 1977 to 1983 | Played Princess Leia |
| The Force Awakens | 2015 | Reprised the role |
| The Last Jedi | 2017 | Posthumous release, dedicated to her |
| The Rise of Skywalker | 2019 | Used unreleased footage from The Force Awakens |
What books did Carrie Fisher write?
Carrie Fisher wrote 4 novels and 2 memoirs, beginning with Postcards from the Edge in 1987. Postcards from the Edge is a semi-autobiographical story about a show business mother and daughter.
Table 3 lists her major books. Each row is one book. The columns show the title, the year, and the type.
| Title | Year | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Postcards from the Edge | 1987 | Novel |
| Surrender the Pink | 1990 | Novel |
| Delusions of Grandma | 1993 | Novel |
| The Best Awful There Is | 2004 | Novel |
| Wishful Drinking | 2008 | Memoir based on her one-woman play |
| The Princess Diarist | 2016 | Memoir based on her Star Wars diaries |
What other work did Carrie Fisher do?
Carrie Fisher also worked as a screenwriter, script doctor, television host, and stage performer. The recorded projects include:
- Writing the screenplay for the 1990 film Postcards from the Edge
- Revising scripts for films such as The Wedding Singer and Sister Act
- Hosting the interview show Conversations from the Edge with Carrie Fisher from 2002 to 2003
- Performing the one-woman show Wishful Drinking, which aired on HBO in 2010
Sources: WRAL career timeline and Biography.com.
What awards did Carrie Fisher win?
Carrie Fisher won 1 Grammy Award, the 2018 Best Spoken Word Album for the audiobook of The Princess Diarist. The award was posthumous. Her recorded honors and nominations are:
- Won the 2018 Grammy for Best Spoken Word Album
- Received a 2009 Grammy nomination for Wishful Drinking
- Earned a BAFTA nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay for Postcards from the Edge
- Received a Primetime Emmy nomination for the Wishful Drinking special
- Earned 4 Saturn Award nominations for Princess Leia
Sources: KSHB report on the Grammy, the National Library of Israel authority record, and a Wikipedia-based profile. She was never nominated for an Oscar.
What mental health advocacy did Carrie Fisher do?
Carrie Fisher spoke publicly about bipolar disorder and drug addiction. She earned praise for speaking openly about both. She advocated for mental health awareness and treatment and spoke before the California State Senate.
How did Carrie Fisher die?
Carrie Fisher died on December 27, 2016, at age 60, from cardiac arrest. The arrest followed a medical emergency on a transatlantic flight from London to Los Angeles four days earlier. Sleep apnea and atherosclerosis were recorded as contributing factors. The autopsy report noted multiple substances in her blood and tissue, and it could not establish their significance for the cause of death. Her mother, Debbie Reynolds, died the next day.
People Also Ask
When was Carrie Fisher born?
Carrie Fisher was born on October 21, 1956, in Burbank, California.
What role is Carrie Fisher best known for?
Carrie Fisher is best known for playing Princess Leia in the Star Wars films.
Who were Carrie Fisher’s parents?
Carrie Fisher’s parents were the actress Debbie Reynolds and the singer Eddie Fisher.
What was Carrie Fisher’s first novel?
Carrie Fisher’s first novel was Postcards from the Edge, published in 1987.
Did Carrie Fisher win a Grammy?
Carrie Fisher won the 2018 Grammy for Best Spoken Word Album for The Princess Diarist.
How old was Carrie Fisher when she died?
Carrie Fisher was 60 years old when she died on December 27, 2016.
What is the summary of the Carrie Fisher biography?
The Carrie Fisher biography records an actress and writer, born on October 21, 1956, who played Princess Leia and wrote novels and memoirs before dying at age 60. The biography has 6 core facts:
- Birth: October 21, 1956, in Burbank, California
- Parents: Debbie Reynolds and Eddie Fisher
- Breakthrough: Princess Leia in Star Wars (1977)
- Writing: Postcards from the Edge (1987) and The Princess Diarist (2016)
- Honor: 2018 Grammy for Best Spoken Word Album
- Death: December 27, 2016, from cardiac arrest