Carrie Fisher, who will always be remembered for her role as Princess (and general) Leia Organa in the Star Wars franchise, is dead at age 60.
On Friday, the actor went into cardiac arrest on a flight from London to Los Angeles, and had to be rushed from the airport to a nearby hospital by paramedics. She later died in the hospital.
Her death was confirmed by family spokesperson Simon Halls, who released a statement to People magazine on behalf of Fisher's daughter, Billie Lourd, confirming the actor's death this morning at 8:55 a.m.
Fisher was the daughter of Debbie Reynolds, a famous actress herself, and a rock'n'roll powerhouse Eddie Fisher.
She made her film debut in the Warren Beaty flick Shampoo in 1975, but found fame with the 1977 release of Star Wars.
She starred in numerous films over the years, but was also a respected author (her 1987 semi-autobiographical novel Postcards from the Edge was made into a film starring Meryl Streep) and script doctor. Her mental health struggles and challenges with addiction were well documented.
Fisher, however, will also be fondly remembered as the actor who brought to life Princess Leia, one of the first and few female sci-fi leads who wasn't a damsel in distress, but a cunning, tough tactician who led an army to victory over the evil Galactic Empire.
May the Force by with you, Carrie Fisher.
