It’s hard to believe it’s been five years since the untimely death of Carrie Fisher. Her passing came as a huge shock to Star Wars fans, with the actress in the middle of a late-career renaissance after the return of Leia Organa in the sequel trilogy and the publication of her hit book The Princess Diarist.
Complicating matters is that she had a long cinematic afterlife. Star Wars: The Last Jedi was released after she had died and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker brought her back using the miracles of modern editing. All of which means fans are eager to show their appreciation for her work and her personality at any opportunity, with yesterday marking what would have been her 65th birthday.
Here’s a selection of the tributes on social media:
Beyond Leia, Fisher starred in The Blues Brothers, Hannah, Her Sisters, and the 1989 romance classic, When Harry Met Sally. She was also notable for her hilarious and candid writing about her struggles with addiction and mental health. The Star Wars movies and the fan love for her will mean her legacy will always live on, something that this outpouring of affection proves.
However, let’s hope that with The Rise of Skywalker, Disney is finally willing to let Leia rest, with her post-mortem performance coming across as slightly creepy and disconnected. Having said that, I’m willing to bet she would have found the fact that not even death could stop her appearing in Star Wars darkly amusing.