Carrie Fisher

Carrie Frances Fisher (born October 21, 1956) is an American actress, novelist, screenwriter, and lecturer. She is most famous for her portrayal of Princess Leia Organa in the original Star Wars trilogy, her bestselling novel Postcards from the Edge, for which she wrote the screenplay to the film of the same name, and her autobiography Wishful Drinking.

Carrie Fisher Roasts George Lucas at AFI Life Achievement Award


TIME 10 Questions: 10 Questions for Carrie Fisher


David Letterman show with Carrie Fisher // 11/24/2009


PrincessLeia/Carrie Fisher - The Best Damn Thing


Longer Carrie Fisher Star Wars Audition


Carrie Fisher on Bring Back Star Wars


Orange Advert - Carrie Fisher


Carrie Fisher Salutes Harrison Ford at the AFI Life Achievement Award


What does Carrie Fisher wear in her dressing room?


Early life

Fisher was born in Beverly Hills, California, the daughter of singer Eddie Fisher and actress Debbie Reynolds. She was raised Protestant;[1] however, her paternal grandparents were Jewish immigrants.[2] Her younger brother is Todd Fisher and her half-sisters are actresses Joely Fisher and Tricia Leigh Fisher. Joely and Tricia's mother is the singer/actress Connie Stevens.
When Carrie Fisher was two, her parents divorced. Her father married his ex-wife's friend, actress Elizabeth Taylor. The following year, her mother married shoe store chain owner Harry Karl, who secretly spent her life savings. It was assumed from an early age that Carrie would go into the family show business, and she began appearing with her mother in Las Vegas, Nevada at the age of 12. She attended Beverly Hills High School, but she left to join her mother on the road. She appeared as a debutante and singer in the hit Broadway revival Irene (1973), starring her mother.
[edit]Career

[edit]1970s


Fisher with Wim Wenders in 1978
In 1973, Fisher enrolled at London's Central School of Speech and Drama, which she attended for 18 months. She made her film debut in the Columbia comedy Shampoo (1975) starring Warren Beatty, Julie Christie and Goldie Hawn, with Lee Grant and Jack Warden. In 1977, Fisher starred as Princess Leia Organa in George Lucas' science fiction film Star Wars (later retitled Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope) opposite Mark Hamill and Harrison Ford, a part she sarcastically claims to have obtained by sleeping "with some nerd."[3]
In May 1978, she appeared alongside John Ritter in the ABC-TV film Leave Yesterday Behind as a horse trainer who helps Ritter's character after an accident leaves him a paraplegic.
The huge success of Star Wars made her internationally famous. The character of Princess Leia became a merchandising triumph; there were small plastic action figures of the Princess in toy stores across the United States. She appeared as Princess Leia in the 1978 made-for-TV film, The Star Wars Holiday Special. At this time, Fisher appeared with Laurence Olivier and Joanne Woodward in the anthology series Laurence Olivier Presents in a television version of the William Inge play Come Back, Little Sheba.
In November 1978, Fisher was the guest host for Saturday Night Live with musical guests The Blues Brothers and special guest Don Novello as Father Guido Sarducci. Dressed in a gold bikini, she reprised her Princess Leia character from Star Wars in "Beach Blanket Bimbo from Outer Space", a parody sketch of 1960s beach party films. Bill Murray and Gilda Radner imitated the Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello characters. John Belushi played biker Eric Von Zipper, and Dan Aykroyd, with whom Fisher was romantically involved, portrayed Vincent Price.
Fisher appeared in the music video for Ringo Starr's cover of "You're Sixteen" as the love interest in 1978 on his TV special of that year.[4][5]


Fisher as Princess Leia Organa
[edit]1980s
Fisher later appeared in The Blues Brothers film in a cameo role as Joliet Jake's vengeful ex-lover, listed in the credits as "Mystery Woman". She appeared on Broadway in Censored Scenes from King Kong in 1980. That year, she appeared again as Princess Leia in Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back. She made her third and final appearance as Leia in Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi, for which she became a sex symbol for a short period due to her appearance wearing a golden metal bikini (the slave girl outfit which almost immediately rose to pop culture icon status). She is one of the few actors or actresses to star in films with both John and James Belushi, later appearing with the latter in the film The Man with One Red Shoe. She also was a replacement in the Broadway production of Agnes of God (1982). She appeared in the Woody Allen film Hannah and her Sisters in 1986.
In 1987, Fisher published her first novel, Postcards from the Edge. The book was semi-autobiographical in the sense that she fictionalized and satirized real life events such as her drug addiction of the late 1970s.[6] It became a bestseller, and she received the Los Angeles Pen Award for Best First Novel. Also during 1987, she was in the Australian film The Time Guardian. In 1989, Fisher played a major supporting role in When Harry Met Sally, and in the same year, she appeared opposite Tom Hanks as his wife in The 'Burbs.
[edit]1990s
In 1990, Columbia Pictures released a film version of Postcards from the Edge, adapted for the screen by Fisher and starring Meryl Streep, Shirley MacLaine, and Dennis Quaid. She also appeared in the fantasy comedy film Drop Dead Fred in 1991. In 1997, Fisher appeared as a therapist in Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery. During the 1990s, Fisher also published the novels Surrender the Pink (1991) and Delusions of Grandma (1993).
[edit]2000s


Fisher at Star Wars Celebration IV, 2007
In the film Scream 3 (2000), Fisher played an actress mistaken for Carrie Fisher. Director's commentary on the Scream 3 DVD suggests that the sequence was in fact penned by Fisher herself.
In 2001, Fisher played a nun in the Kevin Smith comedy Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back. The title spoofs The Empire Strikes Back and the film, which includes Mark Hamill, satirizes many Hollywood movies, including the Star Wars series.
She also co-wrote the TV comedy film These Old Broads (2001), of which she was also co-executive producer. It starred her mother, Debbie Reynolds, as well as Elizabeth Taylor, Joan Collins and Shirley MacLaine. In this, Taylor's character, an agent, explains to Reynolds' character, an actress, that she was in an alcoholic blackout when she married the actress's husband, "Freddy".
Besides acting and writing original works, Fisher was one of the top script doctors in Hollywood, working on the screenplays of other writers.[7][8] She has done uncredited polishes on movies starting with The Wedding Singer and Sister Act,[7] and was hired by the creator of Star Wars, George Lucas, to polish scripts for his 1992 TV series The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles.[7] Her expertise in this area was why she was chosen as one of the interviewers for the screenwriting documentary Dreams on Spec in 2007. However, during an interview in 2004 she said that she no longer does much script doctoring.[8]
Fisher also voices Peter Griffin's boss Angela on the animated sitcom Family Guy and appeared in a book of photographs titled Hollywood Moms (2001) for which she wrote the introduction. Fisher published a sequel to Postcards, The Best Awful There Is in 2004. In August 2006, Fisher appeared prominently in the audience of the Comedy Central's Roast of William Shatner.
Fisher wrote and performed in her one-woman play Wishful Drinking at the Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles from November 7, 2006, to January 14, 2007.[9] Her show played at the Berkeley Repertory Theater through April, 2008,[10] followed by performances in San Jose, California in July 2008, Hartford Stage in August 2008[11] before moving on to the Arena Stage in Washington, DC in September 2008[12] and Boston[13] in October 2008. In December, 2008 Fisher published her autobiographical book called Wishful Drinking based on her successful play and embarked on a media tour. On April 2, 2009, Fisher returned to the stage with her play at the Seattle Repertory Theatre with performances through to May 9, 2009.[14] On October 4, 2009, Wishful Drinking then opened on Broadway in New York at Studio 54 and played an extended run until January 17, 2010.[15][16] In December 2009, Fisher's bestselling memoir Wishful Drinking earned her a nomination for a 2010 Grammy Award in the Best Spoken Word Album category.[17]
In 2007, she was a full-time judge on FOX's filmmaking-competition reality television series On the Lot.
Fisher joined Turner Classic Movies host Robert Osborne on Saturday evenings for The Essentials with informative and entertaining conversation on Hollywood's best films. She guest-starred in the episode titled "Sex and Another City" from season 3 of Sex and the City with Sarah Jessica Parker. This episode also featured Vince Vaughn, Hugh Hefner and Sam Seder in a guest role. On October 25, 2007, Fisher guest-starred on 30 Rock for the "Rosemary's Baby" Episode 4 of Season 2 for which she received an Emmy Award nomination. She starred as Rosemary Howard. Her last line in the show was a spoof from Star Wars: "Help me Liz Lemon, You're my only hope!". On April 28, 2008, she was a guest on Deal or No Deal. In 2008, she also had a cameo as a doctor in the Star Wars related comedy Fanboys.
Fisher's Wishful Drinking will air as a feature-length documentary on HBO.[18]
Fisher will appear on the seventh season of Entourage in the summer of 2010.[18]
[edit]Personal life

Fisher was briefly engaged to the actor and comedian Dan Aykroyd, who proposed on the set of their film The Blues Brothers in 1980. She has stated: "We had rings, we got blood tests, the whole shot. But then I got back together with Paul Simon."[19]
Fisher dated musician Paul Simon from 1977 until 1983, then was married to him from August 1983 to July 1984, and they dated again for a time after their divorce. During their marriage, she appeared in Simon's music video for the song "Rene and Georgette Magritte with Their Dog after the War". She is referenced in many of Simon's songs, including "Hearts and Bones", "Graceland", "She Moves On" and "Allergies".
Subsequently, she had a relationship with Creative Artists Agency principal and casting agent Bryan Lourd. They had one child together, Billie Catherine Lourd (born July 17, 1992). The couple's relationship ended when Lourd left to be in a homosexual relationship. Though Fisher has described Lourd as her second husband in interviews, according to a 2004 profile of the actress and writer, she and Lourd were never legally married.[20]
Fisher also had a close relationship with James Blunt. While working on his album Back to Bedlam in 2003, Blunt spent much of his time at Fisher's residence. Vanity Fair's George Wayne wanted Fisher to explain if their relationship was sexual. Fisher dismissed the suggestion: "Absolutely not, but I did become his therapist. He was a soldier. This boy has seen awful stuff. Every time James hears fireworks or anything like that, his heart beats faster, and he gets 'fight or flight'. You know, he comes from a long line of soldiers dating back to the 10th century. He would tell me these horrible stories. He was a captain, a reconnaissance soldier. I became James’s therapist. So it would have been unethical to sleep with my patient."[21]
On February 26, 2005, R. Gregory "Greg" Stevens, a lobbyist and advisor for the Republican Party, was found dead in Fisher's California home due to an overdose of OxyContin compounded by obstructive sleep apnea.[22] In an interview, Fisher claimed that Stevens' ghost haunted her mansion. Fisher was unsettled by this: "I was a nut for a year," she explained, "and in that year I took drugs again."[23]
Fisher has described herself as an "enthusiastic agnostic who would be happy to be shown that there is a God."[24] She was raised Protestant,[1] but often attends Jewish services, the faith of her father, with Orthodox friends.[25]
[edit]Bipolar disorder and drug problems
Fisher has publicly discussed her problems with drugs, her struggle with bipolar disorder, and her overcoming an addiction to prescription medication, most notably on ABC's 20/20 and The Secret Life of the Manic Depressive with Stephen Fry for the BBC. She discussed her new memoir Wishful Drinking and various topics in it with Matt Lauer on NBC's Today on December 10, 2008.[26] This interview was followed by a similar appearance on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson on December 12, 2008 where she discussed her electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) treatments.[27] She has said that she receives ECT every six weeks to "blow apart the cement" in her brain.[28] Fisher spoke about Wishful Drinking on NPR's Talk of the Nation on December 16, 2008.[29] She also spoke about her life and troubles on the NPR quiz show Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! on January 31, 2009.
[edit]Weight problems
In recent years she has been battling weight gain since touring with her one-woman show, topping out at 180 pounds. She's currently the new spokesperson for Jenny Craig, Inc.. Television ads began airing in late January, 2011.[30]
[edit]Cocaine addiction
While in Sydney, Australia, Fisher revealed in another interview that she had a cocaine addiction during filming of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, and also survived an overdose. "Slowly I realized I was doing a bit more drugs than other people and losing my choice in the matter" she said in an interview.[31][32]
[edit]Filmography

Film, television and video games
Year Title Role Notes
1975 Shampoo Lorna Carp
1977 Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope Princess Leia Organa
1977 Come Back, Little Sheba Marie Videotaped TV drama
1978 Ringo Marquine TV movie
1978 Leave Yesterday Behind Marnie Clarkson TV movie
1978 The Star Wars Holiday Special Princess Leia Organa TV movie
1980 Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back Princess Leia Organa
1980 The Blues Brothers Mystery Woman
1981 Under the Rainbow Annie Clark
1982 Laverne & Shirley Cathy TV series, episode: "The Playboy Show"
1983 Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi Princess Leia Organa
1984 Faerie Tale Theatre Thumbelina TV series, episode: "Thumbelina"
1984 Garbo Talks Lisa Rolfe
1984 Frankenstein Elizabeth TV movie
1985 From Here to Maternity Veronica TV short
1985 The Man with One Red Shoe Paula
1985 George Burns Comedy Week TV series, episode: "The Couch"
1985 Happily Ever After Alice Conway Voice only, TV movie
1986 Hannah and Her Sisters April
1986 Hollywood Vice Squad Betty Melton
1986 Liberty Emma Lazarus TV movie
1986 Sunday Drive Franny Jessup TV movie
1987 Amazing Stories Laurie McNamara TV series, episode: "Gershwin's Trunk"
1987 Paul Reiser Out on a Whim TV movie
1987 Amazon Women on the Moon Mary Brown segment "Reckless Youth"
1987 The Time Guardian Petra
1988 Appointment with Death Nadine Boynton
1989 The 'burbs Carol Peterson
1989 Loverboy Monica Delancy
1989 Two Daddies Alice Conway Voice only, TV movie
1989 She's Back Beatrice
1989 When Harry Met Sally... Marie
1989 Trying Times Enid TV series, episode: "Hunger Chic"
1990 Sweet Revenge Linda
1990 Sibling Rivalry Iris Turner-Hunter
1991 Drop Dead Fred Janie
1991 Soapdish Betsy Faye Sharon
1991 Hook Woman kissing on bridge Uncredited role
1992 This Is My Life Claudia Curtis
1994 Super Star Wars: Return of the Jedi Princess Leia Organa Video game
1995 Present Tense, Past Perfect TV short
1995 Frasier Phyllis TV series, episode "Phyllis", voice only
1997 Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery Therapist Uncredited role
1997 Gun Nancy TV series, episode: "The Hole"
1998 Dr, Katz, Professional Therapist Roz Katz TV series, episode: "Thanksgiving"
1999 Return of the Ewok short subject, filmed in 1983
2000 Scream 3 Bianca
2001 These Old Broads Hooker TV movie
2001 Heartbreakers Ms. Surpin
2001 Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back Nun
2002 A Midsummer Night's Rave
2002 A Nero Wolfe Mystery Ellen Tenzer TV series, two-part episode: "Motherhunt"
2003 Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle Mother Superior
2003 Wonderland Sally Hansen
2003 Good Morning, Miami Judy Silver TV series, episode: "A Kiss Before Lying"
2003 Sex and the City Herself TV series, episode: "Sex and Another City"
2004 Stateside Mrs. Dubois
2004 Jack & Bobby Madison Skutcher TV series, episode: "The First Lady"
2005 Undiscovered Carrie
2005 Smallville Pauline Kahn TV series, episode: "Thirst"
2005 Romancing the Bride Edwina TV movie
2005-present Family Guy Angela TV series, episodes: "Jungle Love", "The Courtship of Stewie's Father", "Hell Comes to Quahog", "Whistle While Your Wife Works", "It Takes a Village Idiot, and I Married One", "Tales of a Third Grade Nothing", "Peter-assment", "Baby, You Knock Me Out", "Road to the North Pole", "Friends of Peter G."
2007 Suffering Man's Charity Reporter
2007 Cougar Club Glady Goodbey
2007 Odd Job Jack Dr. Finch TV series, episode: "The Beauty Beast"
2007 Weeds Celia's attorney TV series, episode: "The Brick Dance"
2007 Side Order of Life Dr. Gilbert TV series, episode:" Funeral for a Phone"
2007 30 Rock Rosemary Howard TV series, episode: "Rosemary's Baby"
2008 The Women Bailey Smith
2009 Fanboys Cameo appearance
2008 Robot Chicken: Star Wars Episode II Princess Leia Organa, Mon Mothma, Krayt Dragon's Mother TV movie, voice only
2009 White Lightnin' Cilla
2009 Sorority Row Mrs. Crenshaw
2010 Wright vs. Wrong Joan Harrington TV movie
2010 Entourage Anna Fowler TV series, episode "Tequila and Coke"
2010 Family Guy Mon Mothma TV series, episode: It's a Trap, voice only
2010 A Quiet Word With ... Herself Australian TV conversation series, season 1, episode 2[33]
[edit]Bibliography

Novels
Postcards from the Edge, 1987, ISBN 0-7434-6651-9
Surrender the Pink, 1990, ISBN 0-671-66640-1
Delusions of Grandma, 1993, ISBN 0-684-85803-7
Hollywood Moms, 2001, (introduction)
The Best Awful There Is, 2004, ISBN 0-7434-7857-6
Non-fiction
Wishful Drinking, 2008, ISBN 1-4391-0225-2
Screenplays
Postcards from the Edge, 1990
These Old Broads, 2001
E-Girl (2007)
doctored screenplays for "Hook" (1991), "Sister Act" (1992) and "The Wedding Singer" (1998),
Plays
Wishful Drinking, 2006
Wishful Drinking,[35] 2008
A Spy in the House of Me, 2008

References from Wikipedia.com