A star was unveiled on May the Fourth in honor of the late actress, with her daughter Billie Lourd and long-time friend Mark Hamill in attendance.
Star Wars is a sci-fi franchise that continues to take the world by storm, captivating audiences both new and old since its first movie’s release in 1977. This was when everyone was introduced to the iconic Princess Leah—who would end up becoming one of the most popular characters in the franchise, due in part to the inimitable performance of actress Carrie Fisher.
Fisher was loved by fans and those who’ve worked with her. With her wit, candor, and strong support of meaningful advocacies, one can easily understand why. The world mourned when she passed in December 2016, but it never forgot her.
The late actress and activist just recently received a posthumous star in the Hollywood Walk of Fame on May 4 (the official Star Wars day, which was named “May the Fourth Be With You” as a playful nod to the film).
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Touching Lives
The force was strong during the unveiling, as fans gathered to celebrate the larger-than-life woman who played the intergalactic princess. In attendance was Fisher’s longtime friend and co-star Mark Hamill (who played the franchise’s beloved protagonist, Luke Skywalker), as well as her only daughter, Billie Lourd.
“My mom was glitter. She covered her world in it both literally and metaphorically. She left a mark of her sparkle on everyone she met,” shared Lourd during the event. She also talked about the large scope of her mother’s real-world impact as Princess Leah.
“Watching the amount of joy it brought to people when she hugged them or threw glitter at them—sorry about that— was incredible to witness. People waited in line for hours just to meet her. People had tattoos of her, people named their children after her. People had stories of how she saved their lives,” she stated. “It was a side of my mom I had never seen before, and it was magical.”
A True Friend
Prior to the unveiling, Hamill made a post on Instagram stating that the honor was “Long overdue and so well-deserved.”
During the ceremony, the 71-year-old actor also read a heartfelt note that he had written upon the passing of his friend nearly six years ago.
“Carrie was one of a kind. She belonged to us all, whether we liked it or not. She was our princess, dammit! And the actress who played her blurred into one gorgeous, fearlessly independent, ferociously funny, take-charge woman who took our collective breath away,” said Hamill during his reading.
“Determined and tough, but with a vulnerability that made you root for her and want her to succeed and be happy. She played such a crucial role in my professional and personal life. Both would’ve been far emptier without her,” he continued.
Legacy Written in the Stars
Fisher’s career extends beyond the popular Star Wars franchise. She also starred in a number of other films and TV shows, including When Harry Met Sally, 30 Rock, and Sex and the City. She also authored quite a few books; her best-seller entitled Postcards From the Edge is set to be adapted into a film with a screenplay she wrote herself.
On top of that, Fisher was vocal about her advocacies on drug addiction and mental illness, which she personally experienced herself. She also fought for women’s rights, taking a stand against sexist and ageist practices in Hollywood. In many ways, Fisher embodied the goodness of Princess Leah by simply staying true to her own values.
“I realized then that Leia is more than just a character. She is a feeling. She is strength. She is grace. She is wit. She is femininity at its finest,” Lourd explained at the unveiling. “She knows what she wants and she gets it. She doesn’t need anyone to rescue her because she rescues herself and even rescues the rescuers. And no one could have played her like my mother.”
Banner photo via Instagram @praisethelourd.
