As the sixth year of Carrie Fisher’s death approaches, her daughter Billie Lourd posted a touching Instagram tribute to the actress. Fisher began her career as an actress when she was 19 years old, and she is now widely recognized for her portrayal of Princess Leia Organa in Star Wars films. She made her debut as Leia in 1977’s Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope, and she went on to star in five more installments of the franchise. She has made appearances in numerous episodes, games, and features for the franchise. On December 27, 2016, at age 60, Fisher passed from cardiac arrest. Lourd, her daughter, who reported her mother’s death to the press, and the world of Star Wars enthusiasts were devastated by the news.
Lourd wrote an emotional Instagram post commemorating her mother, Carrie Fisher, on the sixth anniversary of her death. Even though Lourd finds this time of year difficult due to her mother’s demise, she has experienced “some of the happiest of [her] life.” Her happy moments this year include her daughter Jackson’s birth on December 15. Lourd says she’s sad that Fisher could not meet Jackson but that she preserves Fisher’s legacy alive by recounting stories about her to her kids. Take a look at the touching caption:
It has been 6 years since my Momby died (feels like 2 but also like 705 at the same time?). And unlike most other years since she’s died, this year, these past two weeks have been some of the most joyful of my life. Giving birth to my daughter and watching my son meet her have been two of the most magical moments I have ever experienced. But with the magic of life tends to come the reality of grief. My mom is not here to meet either of them and isn’t here to experience any of the magic. Sometimes the magical moments can also be the hardest. That’s the thing about grief. I wish my Momby were here, but she isn’t. So all I can do is hold onto the magic harder, hug my kids a little tighter. Tell them a story about her. Share her favorite things with them. Tell them how much she would have loved them. For anyone out there experiencing the reality of grief alongside the magic of life, I see you. You are not alone. Don’t ignore either. Life can be magical and griefy at the same time.
Carrie Fisher’s Star Wars Contribution and Its Continuing Impact
Fans of the Star Wars franchise and Fisher’s personal friends and family members observe the anniversary of his passing every year. Lourd, who lost both her mother and grandmother, Debbie Reynolds, in 2016, has received an outpouring of love and support from the entertainment community. Fisher may have been most recognized for her Star Wars role, but she also stood out for her frank discussions of sensitive topics like drug abuse. Lourd appears to be treading in her mother’s footsteps by discussing her pain openly.
Fisher may be gone, but her Star Wars contributions will not be forgotten. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, released in 2019, included a significant role for Leia despite Fisher’s passing by recycling eight minutes of unused footage from 2015’s The Force Awakens. There were concerns from fans that Lucasfilm may digitally recreate Fisher as Leia in future Star Wars projects, as was done with the late Peter Cushing in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. So far, though, it has not materialized. This year’s new Obi-Wan Kenobi feature is just one example of the creative ways in which Lucasfilm has managed to work Leia into their stories. Part of the plot of the Ewan McGregor program centered around a younger version of Leia (Vivien Lyra Blair).
Fisher may no longer be a part of the Star Wars saga, but her daughter Carrie Fisher will carry on the legacy of her iconic character Leia. After Fisher’s death, Lourd stepped in to play Kaydel Ko Connix in all three Star Wars films and even helped out with some of the CGI work Fisher needed for The Rise of Skywalker. Fisher’s impact will never be forgotten, with Lourd continuing her mother’s legacy and Star Wars fans worldwide still mourning the death of a famous performer.
