Nine years ago, the world lost a legend in Carrie Fisher, who may have been known primarily for her role as Princess Leia in the Star Wars franchise but was also an advocate for mental health awareness, women, the LGBTQ+ community and more. To Billie Lourd, however, she was a mom first. The American Horror Story actress paid tribute to her mother on the ninth anniversary of her death, posting about the “joy” in her life that Fisher made possible.

December 27 always seems to be a tough day for Billie Lourd, as it marks the day Carrie Fisher died at age 60, four days after experiencing a medical emergency while on a flight. In a lengthy post on Instagram, Lourd wrote about the immense joy she experienced watching her dad run around with her kids like “old souls that have known each other forever.” She continued:

Billie Lourd then recalled one of her mom’s famous quotes, writing:

Grief can take all kinds of forms, and as Billie Lourd acknowledged in her post, her emotions were likely to change several times throughout this day. It’s so nice that joy can be one of them, as she experiences the love her children have for her and her father. You can see her full post below:

Several well-known names took to the comments in support of Billie Lourd, with sentiments including:

• Rumer Willis: This is so beautiful and so true.
• Sarah Paulson: Boy, do I love you.
• Kaya Scodelario: Love is love, no matter the context. What is true and real is that you are an incredible mother and your children love you because you are there for them. You keep the memories alive. You work your arse off. Your patient when you need to be. And allow yourself to be overwhelmed when it’s necessary. They are so fucking proud of you. And you should be too. All the love in the world.
• Natasha Lyonne: Billie the Kid & Billie our G.O.A.T ❤️❤️beauty of a being you are❤️
• Lily Collins: This is just the most stunning thing to read and so pure. Thank you for sharing. Thinking of you and sending so much love.
• Chad Lowe: Love you, Bill❤️
• Harvey Guillen: I love you, [Billie Lourd] 💕

This is far from the first time that the Last Showgirl alum has honored her mother in any way, shape or form. Lourd has posted frequently about her mother's sense of humor as well as what it was like growing up around her. The actress also shares more personal memories of Fisher and has even discussed the lessons she learned from her from a parenting perspective

Of course, Lourd also doesn't shy away from her mother's Star Wars legacy. In fact, earlier this year, Lourd -- who plays Lieutenant Connix in the franchise herself -- opened up about showing Fisher's Star Wars work to her kids for the first time, and the experience sounded sweet.

It’s heartwarming to see how much support Billie Lourd has, as she and others like Mark Hamill continue to honor Carrie Fisher on her birthday, in Mother’s Day tributes and on the anniversary of her passing. Fisher’s loved ones continue to spread her message, and therefore, she truly does live on.

The Star Wars movies are one of the most popular movie franchises of all time, with entire generations of cinephiles brought up on the galaxy far, far away. That property is regularly re-watched by fans with a Disney+ subscription, and expands with upcoming Star Wars movies and TV shows. The original trilogy remains truly iconic, partly thanks to late actress Carrie Fisher's work as Leia. Her daughter Billie Lourd recently showed her kids Return of the Jedi, and spoke about what it was like seeing them watch their grandmother save the galaxy.

Carrie Fisher's death in 2016 shocked the public, with Star Wars fans grieving the loss of the icon. Her daughter Billie Lord has spoken about the grieving process over the years, and in an interview with E! News she revealed hat she showed her kids Return of the Jedi. She described that experience, offering:

Talk about powerful. Lourd has two children, who were born after Fisher's passing. While they never got to meet their grandmother, her role in the Star Wars movies have offered a way for the younger generations to see the late actress in her prime. And it sounds like seeing her kids watch Fisher's performance in Episode VI was an emotional experience for the American Horror Story actress.

I can't imagine what it's been like for Lourd to go through her own grieving process, while Carrie Fisher's many fans also share how much they meant to her. But it sounds like her ionic Star Wars appearances have been helpful for the Scream Queens star to keep her mother's memory alive. As Lourd explained:

Add in the fact that Billie Lourd had a role opposite in The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi opposite Carrie Fisher also means that she was able to watch her legacy firsthand, and share in her final film roles. They got to be in the galaxy together, creating precious memories of the actress' last years.

Fisher will always be synonymous with her time as Leia, and it's touching to see what it means for Billie Lourd to have those movies and memories as memento. Grief comes in waves, and this story is definitely a touching one.

Carrie Fisher's tenure as Leia is streaming on Disney+. Star Wars will return to theaters with The Mandalorian and Grogu, which will arrive May 22nd as part of the 2026 movie release list.

Adam Driver is one of the most versatile actors out there. Whether his best movie performances can make you laugh, like in What If?, or break your heart, like in Marriage Story, Driver knows how to win over an audience. Even if fans love seeing him onscreen, Driver still vowed not to watch himself in his movies until he had the chance to do so with Star Wars co-stars Carrie Fisher and Daisy Ridley. On the other hand, it doesn’t mean he still doesn’t have regrets about that.

With the help of Star Wars, House of Gucci and BlacKkKlansman, Adam Driver’s movies have grossed over $2 billion. Fans may be lining up to see the American actor, but it doesn’t mean Driver is doing the same. The Girls actor explained on The Howard Stern Show why he can’t watch his own movies, and his reasoning makes sense:

I feel like I would be my own critic as well, constantly seeing all of the flaws in my performance that I wish I could change. But like Adam Driver said, what’s in the final product is out there with no way to call for a do-over. Maybe that’s why a lot of great actors become great directors of their own movies; to have that control of doing multiple takes of their own performance.

The Hollywood leading man wouldn’t be the only actor to stay away from their own films. Keira Knightley only watches her movies once for the same reason as Adam Driver, in that she only sees the bad in her performance and doesn't like to hear the sound of her voice. Denzel Washington also doesn’t rewatch his old movies, feeling he’d rather look forward than back. Driver got real about what movies made him break his vow not to watch himself and see if you can guess which movie:

The Star Wars movies truly were a standout time for Adam Driver. His performance as Kylo Ren was so haunting with uncertainty and longing in his eyes. Compared to the “angry bad guy” stereotype we see in a lot of villains, Driver was able to show that Kylo Ren was a confused and misdirected guy trying to live up to the impossible legacy of Darth Vader. Even with each drastic choice the Sequel Trilogy’s antagonist makes, you can’t help but feel sorry for him.

Even though Adam Driver was dead set on staying away from seeing his movies, Star Wars: The Force Awakens was clearly the exception. The talented actor said the heartwarming reason he gave the movie a chance was due to seeing it with Carrie Fisher and Daisy Ridley. However, it doesn’t mean he still wasn’t his own critic. Since Driver’s vow is broken, does that mean he’ll continue watching his movies? Here’s his honest answer to Howard Stern on why he won’t:

That’s understandable, not to continue watching your own movies due to knowing you have no control over the outcome. Previously, Adam Driver said he’s changed the way he watches his own movies by defending his acting choices compared of criticizing them. I feel like that would be the only way to view your movies in trusting that a director knows what works well for their film.

It may have been painful for Adam Driver to watch Star Wars: The Force Awakens after vowing not to watch his own works, but at least it’s nice he had Carrie Fisher and Daisy Ridley there to take in the awkward experience. Even if Driver continues to stay away from his films, the legacy he left behind as Kylo Ren will continue to resonate with fans.

Billie Lourd is know what it's like to have had a famous parent like late actress Carrie Fisher and an equally famous grandmother, the late Debbie Reynolds. But the Scream Queens star has been on her own career trajectory like co-starring with Pamela Anderson in The Last Showgirl and a guest-starring role in Mid-Century Modern, which you can stream on your Hulu subscription. The American actress gets real on the skills she inherited from her famous relatives and one she has that her mom “kind of sucked” at.

The acting family of Billie Lourd sure has a flair for comedy. Debbie Reynolds showed off her comedic chops in one of the best TV rom-coms Will & Grace and the musical-comedy film The Unsinkable Molly Brown. Carrie Fisher turned her struggles into comedy through her memoir Wishful Drinking and attended celebrity roasts like the Comedy Central one for Roseanne Barr. It turns that Lourd shares that same trait, as she revealed to People at the Los Angeles premiere of Mid-Century Modern, and one skill her mom “kind of sucked at:”

Okay, so it proves that not everything is genetic. Billie Lourd is lucky that she shares this exceptional skill with her late grandmother. Debbie Reynolds was such a talented dancer in one of the best Oscar-winning musicals Singing’ in the Rain and the musical rom-com I Love Melvin. Tap dancing isn’t easy for everyone, but Lourd said a sense of humor was the greatest lesson she learned from her mother to incorporate comedy anyway she can. You can't deny it's a great coping skill for life's low moments.

The Ticket to Paradise actress may share her acting, dancing, and comedy skills with her famous relatives. On the other hand, she mentioned to People that she’d rather bring a style of her own to her performances:

The Rise of Skywalker actress appears to be balancing plenty in her life. While her family had their share of career challenges in the spotlight, it looks like Billie Lourd honors her legacy with legroom for a personal life. Other than acting projects, she’s married to actor Austen Rydell and they share two kids together. Lourd sweetly told People that she sees “star power” in her kids but hopes one of them will be a doctor. Fortunately, if her kids do turn to acting, they’ve got two actor parents and their famous relatives before them to show them the ways.

Apparently, Billie Lourd can thank her famous mother and grandmother for her comedy skills. As far as her tap dancing skills, she’ll have to give props to Debbie Reynolds on that one compared to Carrie Fisher. No matter what talents Lourd inherited from her relatives, she made them her own, blending her family’s style with her own uniqueness.

It’s hard to believe that it’s been eight years since Carrie Fisher died in 2016. Thankfully, though, while she’s been gone for almost a decade, her legacy has shined on brightly. That’s in part because the actress’s daughter, Billie Lourd, consistently honors her mother, which is exactly what she did on this sad day as she wrote a candid reflection about her parent.

Almost every year, on December 27, Lourd and more of Fisher’s loved ones pay tribute to her on the anniversary of her death, and fans all over take a minute to show love for the Star Wars actress. This year, the Booksmart performer took the time to reflect on her mother as well as her own experience being a parent, writing on Instagram:

Lourd shares two young kids, Jackson Joanne and Kingston, with her husband Austen Rydell. Both were born years after Fisher’s death, however, it would appear that their mom is making sure they know exactly who their grandmother is and the impact she had on her and the world.

She’s definitely doing that for her fans too through posts like this that are simultaneously sad, silly and sweet, as the Scream Queens actress continued her statement with the following:

Lourd ended her statement by noting the rollercoaster of grief that all people face, and addressed the myriad of emotions she’s feeling. She also said that all these emotions – “grief,” “joy,” “longing,” “magic,” “emptiness” and “fullness” – work together in a “profound way,” and she sent her love to all those who are feeling all this right now.

You can see Lourd’s post in full and the adorable photo she shared of her and her mom below:

Billie Lourd consistently uses her platform to show her love for her mom as well as her journey with grief. Through posts on Mother’s Day, heartfelt messages on Fisher’s birthday and celebrations on Star Wars Day, she is consistently shining a spotlight on her late mother and her wonderful legacy. And while it’s always sad to see it all, because the Leia actress is gone, it’s also lovely and joyful to see her daughter pay homage to her in the best ways.

Throughout the years, Lourd has also used her platform to share messages with those struggling with addiction and grief. What she has gone through is something just about everyone experiences, and seeing her so candidly reflect on her mom and her life after losing her is comforting and emotional to see.

Carrie Fisher was one of the most recognizable stars in Hollywood during the ‘70s and ‘80s thanks to playing one of the best characters in Star Wars. Princess Leia was incredibly prolific in the sci-fi genre for showing female empowerment in leading a rebellion and being unafraid to speak her mind. Not to mention, Fisher was an excellent role model for actresses who came into the franchise, including leadDaisy Ridley. The British actress shared a big piece of advice the Emmy nominee once gave her, saying “It takes a lot of courage” to deal with Star Wars fame.

If playing Princess Leia in the Star Wars movies was life-changing for Carrie Fisher, you might imagine what that would mean for Daisy Ridley playing Rey. Unlike Mark Hamill, who was considered the main hero in the George Lucas series playing Luke, Rey was the heroine for the sequel trilogy.

The talented actress was fortunate enough to get to work with Fisher before her death in 2016, and Ridley shared in a Drew Barrymore Show clip one big piece of advice for how the veteran actress helped her adjust to Star Wars fame:

Just watching the clip now, those truly were sage words of advice from the When Harry Met Sally… actress. I know I would be “stuttery” too if I found myself surprisingly walking alongside someone famous down the street. I'm sure it can be easy for celebrities to be annoyed if these interactions are happening all the time, but Ms. Fisher's perspective showed a lot of empathy and helps me to see how Star Wars ultimately became one of the most memorable and best sci-fi movies of all time.

That's particularly true when you consider a story Ms. Fisher actually told back in the day, in which she had a gross-yet-memorable fan interaction with a Star Wars lover during which the guy admitted to thinking about her four times a day for a decade. Welp.

The late actress may have had a legendary career playing a lead in Star Wars, but it wasn’t without its own consequences of fame. Fisher also told Daisy Ridley that dating was hard for her playing the galaxy princess as she had concerns people would be in it for the street cred: “I had sex with Princess Leia.”

Despite all of the obstacles the American actress faced, Carrie Fisher used her experiences in Hollywood to be a mental health advocate through her books, memoirs, and public appearances. Not to mention, the infamous star was known for being a script doctor re-writing some of her Star Wars lines and fine-tuning scripts like The Wedding Singer, Hook, and Sister Act. She’s truly an inspiration for actresses hoping to have careers with longevity in Hollywood.

Daisy Ridley previously recalled how “overwhelming” it was for her when the Star Wars movies debuted, and her latest comments to Drew Barrymore tie in similarly. She said she’d be recognized by people in public restrooms and learning about all of these new career insights like doing press junkets. But the Young Woman and the Sea actress explained that once everything slowed down, she had a great understanding of how fame worked and that now it’ll be easier for her to manage knowing what’s coming.

While the last time that Daisy Ridley played Rey was back in 2019 for Rise of the Skywalker, it looks like fame will encounter the Ophelia actress yet again when she reprises Rey for her upcoming solo movie. Even though it had been a few years since she played the female Jedi, Ridley knew she had to return to the franchise because of the excitement of revisiting the character that put her name on the Hollywood map and continuing Rey’s journey. The upcoming Star Wars flick may have lost its screenwriter, but The Marsh King’s Daughter star offered encouragement, also revealing the new movie is in “the next stages” and “we’re all good.” You can watch Ridley’s interview in full with Drew Barrymore below:

I personally hope Daisy Ridley felt very lucky to have a Star Wars muse like Carrie Fisher around to help her tackle newfound fame. You can watch the two actresses take on the First Order in the Star Wars movies available on your Disney+ subscription.

Star Wars (which is streaming with a Disney+ subscription) is one of the most popular movie franchises of all time, with the stars of the original trilogy remaining synonymous with their roles. That includes Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, and (of course) the late actress Carrie Fisher. On what would have been her 68th birthday, her daughter Billie Lourd posted a sweet tribute, as well as a message for those struggling with addiction.

Actress Billie Lourd usually posts on the anniversary Carrie Fisher's death, as well as her late mother's birthday. Through social media she offers an honest take on grief, allowing Fisher's generations of fans to also share their own feelings. Over on Instagram, the American Horror Story actress spoke about the her mother's struggle with addiction, offering:

Talk about honest. Rather than simply sharing a nice photo with Carrie Fisher, Billie Lourd decide to reveal her true, complicated feelings during her late mother's birthday this year. As she pointed out, her mother died at the young age of 60, with she and the Scream Queen actress missing out on years together. And Lourd knows that there are many people out there who have had similar struggles and feelings of loss.

As she mentions in her caption, sometimes Billie Lourd celebrates her mother on what would hve been her birthday, enjoying some of her favorite things to honor her. But on what would have been Carrie Fisher's 68th birthday, Lourd instead is feeling sad. And her honestly is sure be touching for those who have gone through similar experiences.

While speaking about her feelings of grief and attempts to help her mother's addiction issues, Billie Lourd reveals that she also looked up some sobering statistics about drug overdose deaths, and their frequency. Those victims of the disease left behind love ones like Lourd, who posted a message on solidarity for those with similar experiences. Talk about using your platform for a good cause.

Indeed, the comments section of Lourd's IG post is filled with people who were moved by her story. That includes those who have also lost loved ones to addiction, as well as Star Wars fans who are still mourning Carrie Fisher's passing. Her legacy is tied to the galaxy far far, away as well as her trademark sense of humor and contributions to famous movie scripts. And while Star Wars fans know "no one's ever really gone", there are still very strong feelings about the late actress, and the performance that we never got for The Rise of Skywalker.

Carrie Fisher's time in Star Wars is streaming now on Disney+, including the two movies she did with Billie Lourd. Check the 2025 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience.

Whether you decide to watch A New Hope first or instead opt for going the Star Wars movies in order chronologically, i.e. kick things off with The Phantom Menace, you’ll ultimately get to enjoy Carrie Fisher’s performance as Princess Leia Organa. It didn’t take long for the young royal from Alderaan to show how capable she is in the Original Trilogy’s first entry, as she gunned down a stormtrooper before being captured on the Tantive IV. And then, of course, who can forget when she took charge of her Death Star prison break? It was a move that costar Mark Hamill said made Luke Skywalker and Harrison Ford’s Han Solo look like “the Two Stooges.”

Hamill recalled shooting this scene in the very first Star Wars movie while speaking at FAN Expo Philadelphia (via TikTok user va.va.vera). He started off by saying he thought it was “effortless feminism” for Leia Organa to be more than just a “shrinking violet,” which was also demonstrated early on by her not being “intimidated” by Darth Vader “in the slightest.” The Luke Skywalker actor continued:

On the off chance you need a refresher, and assuming you’d rather not just watch A New Hope with your Disney+ subscription before returning to this article, upon sneaking aboard the first Death Star, Luke and Han disguised themselves as stormtroopers and pretended to transport Chewbacca as their prisoner to the same detention level where Leia was being held. While they were able to eliminate guards in the area and free the princess from her cell, they soon found themselves boxed in by arriving reinforcements gunning for them. Rather than just wait to get killed, Leia took Luke’s blaster, shot open a nearby grate and had them all dive into one of the space station’s trash compactors.

Granted, the quartet soon found themselves having to contend with a freaky creature dragging Luke underwater and then nearly being crushed to death, but Leia nonetheless bailed them out of a big jam just moments after she’d escaped from imprisonment. And let’s not forget, not too long beforehand, she was subjected to an IT-0 interrogation droid, yet managed to resist its efforts to force her to disclose the location of the Rebellion’s main base. So taking all that into account, Mark Hamill saying that Leia made Luke and Han resemble two-thirds of The Three Stooges, one of the greatest comedy acts in the vaudeville era and the Golden Age of Hollywood, isn’t a stretch.

Leia continued to impress across The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, as well as the Star Wars Sequel Trilogy within the past decade. You can revisit those moments by watching those space opera movies on Disney+. If you’d rather look to the future, out guide of upcoming Star Wars movies and TV shows is available for perusal.

Sometimes, a character and a project come around that impacts the zeitgeist deeply, and when that happens, the role becomes permanently attached to an actor’s legacy. This list includes over 30 actors from some of the greatest movies and TV shows who will forever be remembered for one role. 

Daniel Radcliffe – Harry Potter, Harry Potter 

While Daniel Radcliffe’s list of best movies is long and notable – with entries like Swiss Army Man and Weird: The Al Yankovic Story – he will always be known first and foremost as The Boy Who Lived. The actor took on the titular role of Harry Potter when he was 12 years old, and he’s the face of a franchise of movies that have raised countless people. So, while he is beloved for lots of things, nothing will ever be as big and prominent as his role in the Wizarding World.  

Aaron Paul – Jesse Pinkman, Breaking Bad

Breaking Bad and its cast truly took the world by storm, and the guys leading the charge, Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul, became certified legends because of it. It’s hard to separate Paul from Jesse Pinkman, and the impact he made with his fellow ensemble members in this incredible show.  

Sarah Michelle Gellar – Buffy, Buffy the Vampire Slayer

When you play one of the greatest TV characters of all time, obviously, it’ll be the thing you’re most remembered for. For Sarah Michelle Gellar, she’ll always be known as the legendary Buffy the Vampire Slayer after playing the empowering and strong titular character for seven seasons in the late ‘90s and early ‘00s. 

Robert Downey Jr. – Iron Man/Tony Stark, Iron Man

Yes, Robert Downey Jr. won an Oscar for Oppenheimer, and yes, he’s well known for roles in other films, like Sherlock Holmes. However, when you single-handedly help successfully start a cinematic universe like the one Marvel has and star in nine of those projects, yes, you are going to be known for playing that character forever.

So, when it comes to RDJ’s legacy, his role as Iron Man/Tony Stark in the Marvel Cinematic Universe will be the thing he’s remembered forever for.  

Elijah Wood – Frodo, Lord of the Rings

Like Daniel Radcliffe and Harry Potter, so many grew up with Elijah Wood and Lord of the Rings. His portrayal of the hobbit Frodo Baggins was incredibly impactful, and while he has gone on to play a variety of memorable roles, there’s no denying the power of the Rings. 

Carrie Fisher – Princess Leia, Star Wars

You can’t talk about the late great Carrie Fisher and her career without mentioning Princess Leia and the Star Wars movies. She inspired a whole generation as her intelligent, stubborn and empowering princess, and the five films she was a part of helped define sci-fi in film. 

Leonard Nimoy – Spock, Star Trek

Live long and prosper, my friend. Forever and always the legendary Leonard Nimoy will be known for originating the role of the half-Vulcan, half-human Spock in Star Trek. 

Christopher Reeve – Superman, Superman

Christopher Reeve’s legacy is rooted in him playing Superman in four films. Even the documentary that came out about his life in 2024 leans into his time playing Clark Kent, as it’s called Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story. 

James Gandolfini – Tony Soprano, The Sopranos

The Sopranos is considered one of the greatest shows on television, and James Gandolfini’s performance as Tony Soprano is a major reason why. The actor won three Emmys for his performance in the series, and his name, face and voice are synonymous with the beloved HBO drama. 

Alicia Silverstone – Cher Horowitz, Clueless

When I think of Alicia Silverstone, I immediately think of Cher, because she is and always will be best known for her iconic performance in one of the best movies of the ‘90s, Clueless. 

Sigourney Weaver – Ellen Ripley, Alien

Sigourney Weaver changed the sci-fi game when she starred in Alien. Ellen Ripley is a magnificent and strong leading woman in this sci-fi horror flick, which in 1979, was not something we saw very often. 

Jim Parsons – Sheldon Cooper, The Big Bang Theory

“Bazinga!” Will always follow Jim Parsons, and that’s because of his tenure playing Sheldon Cooper in the CBS sitcom The Big Bang Theory. The actor has four Emmys for playing the role, he starred in all 280 episodes of the comedy, and his character even inspired a spinoff, Young Sheldon, which came to an end in 2024 after its own seven-season run. 

Kit Harington – Jon Snow, Game of Thrones

The world was introduced to Kit Harington because of Game of Thrones, and he will always be remembered as the heroic Jon Snow. His role in the GOT cast was vital, and over the years, as we watched him battle it out at The Wall and work toward saving Westeros from winter, it was impossible not to fall for him. Now, while Harington has been in numerous other projects since then, it’s impossible not to think of him as this epic fantasy hero first. 

Emma Watson – Hermione Granger, Harry Potter

These days, Emma Watson doesn’t act anymore, and she’s killing with her gin company Renais. However, she’ll also always be remembered as a wonderful actress who brought life to the beloved witch Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter films. 

The Entire Cast of Friends

Yes, the cast of Friends all went on to have successful careers after the NBC sitcom. However, Jennifer Aniston, David Schwimmer, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry and Courteney Cox are best known as Rachel, Ross, Phoebe, Joey, Chandler and Monica, and they always will be, because they’re the ones with a hit TV show. 

Ralph Macchio – Daniel LaRusso, The Karate Kid

After three Karate Kid movies, and six seasons of its highly successful spinoff Cobra Kai, you’d be silly not to think that Ralph Macchio will always be remembered for playing Daniel LaRusso. 

Linda Hamilton – Sarah Connor, The Terminator

Linda Hamilton played Sarah Connor in The Terminator, Terminator 2: Judgment Day and Terminator: Dark Fate. She’s beloved for portraying the protagonist in this sci-fi franchise, and she’s synonymous with this series that she starred in alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger. 

Chris Hemsworth – Thor, Thor

While many Marvel actors have become synonymous with their characters, one who really stands out is Chris Hemsworth and Thor. Physically, the Australian actor perfectly embodies the God of Thunder, and throughout his time playing the character he added an unexpected sense of humor to the role – especially post-Thor: Ragnarok – that he’ll be remembered forever for. 

Kristen Stewart – Bella Swan, Twilight

Twilight, the debate about Team Edward vs. Team Jacob and Kristen Stewart’s Bella Swan took over the zeitgeist between 2008-2012. To this day, while she’s gone on to star in incredible films like Spencer and Love Lies Bleeding, the role that made her a household name is one of the parts she’ll always be remembered for. 

Heath Ledger – The Joker, The Dark Knight

Heath Ledger is widely regarded as the best Joker, because of his commanding performance as the legendary Batman villain in Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight. This movie was also one of his last before his untimely death, and he won a posthumous Oscar for his incredible take on the infamous big bad. 

Millie Bobby Brown – Eleven, Stranger Things

Millie Bobby Brown has made quite a few successful films, like the Enola Holmes movies. However, it’s undeniable that the role that will define her career is Eleven in Stranger Things. She was only 12 when she started playing the mysterious super-powered human, and over the course of the show’s five-season run, both she and the ensemble of the Netflix series, have become pop culture icons because of the show. 

William Shatner – Captain Kirk, Star Trek

If you take a look at the four projects listed at the top of William Shatner’s IMDb page, all of them are Star Trek movies where he played Captain Kirk. The man starred in seven films and a long-running TV show as the beloved captain, so of course it’s what he’s best known for. 

Michael J. Fox – Marty McFly, Back to the Future

From Family Ties to Teen Wolf, Michael J. Fox and his shows and movies were ‘80s staples. However, there’s no denying that the project he’ll always be remembered for is Robert Zemeckis’ Back to the Future. To this day, the project is considered one of the best ‘80s movies, and Fox is still beloved for playing the charismatic, funny and heroic Marty McFly. 

Reese Witherspoon – Elle Woods, Legally Blonde 

In the over two decades since Legally Blonde’s release, so many have been inspired to pursue their dreams and wear lots and lots of pink. That’s because Elle Woods truly left an amazing mark on the zeitgeist, and it’s because of Reese Witherspoon’s heartfelt, funny and preppy performance as the incredible lawyer-in-training. 

As Elle Woods would say, “What like it’s hard” to create one of the best characters and movies of the 2000s? 

Jon Hamm – Don Draper, Mad Men

While Jon Hamm is a wicked comedic actor, and he’s starred in a myriad of fun movies, nothing will ever come close to Mad Men. For 92 episodes, Hamm led the Mad Men cast as Don Draper – which he took an Emmy home for in 2015 – and he’ll always be recognized for playing the charismatic creative director of Sterling Cooper.

Judy Garland – Dorothy, The Wizard of Oz

The Wizard of Oz is a film that has raised generations of kids since 1939, and it’s still a family classic. So, when you lead a beloved musical like that, as Judy Garland did, and it remains relevant and loved for over eight decades, obviously, the role you’ll always be known for is that one. 

David Tennant – The Doctor, Doctor Who

While everyone who has played the titular timelord on Doctor Who is known for that role specifically, David Tennant is a fan-favorite Doctor, and it’s single-handedly the project he’s best known for. While he’s dabbled in many other critically acclaimed projects, like Good Omens and Broadchurch, he is and always will be the beloved actor who graced our screens as the Tenth and Fourteenth Doctors first and foremost. 

Anthony Hopkins – Hannibal Lecter, The Silence of the Lambs

Silence of the Lambs is one of the greatest horror movies of all time, and it’s in part thanks to Anthony Hopkins' truly terrifying cannibal Hannibal Lecter. In fact, his character became so popular that it inspired three more movies and a TV show. 

Sarah Jessica Parker – Carrie Bradshaw, Sex and the City

I’m sure Carrie Bradshaw inspired many women to become writers, and I know she left many of us fantasizing about living out our lives in New York City. Sarah Jessica Parker truly slayed the role, and her own sense of style and charismatic personality meshed perfectly with Carrie. Along with playing the writer in the OG series Sex and the City, SJP has also portrayed her in two movies and the series And Just Like That. 

Emilia Clarke – Daenerys Targaryen, Game of Thrones 

Khaleesi, Mother of Dragons, Daenerys Targaryen, those are all the names Emilia Clarke’s dragon rider went by in Game of Thrones, and she gave an absolutely commanding performance as her. While her ending wasn’t what most wanted, there’s no denying how amazing it was to see Daenerys rise from a woman trying to survive to a powerful leader, and that’s because of how brilliant Clarke was in the role. 

Mark Hamill – Luke Skywalker, Star Wars

He was the face of the original trilogy, and you can’t think about Star Wars without thinking about Mark Hamill and Luke Skywalker. While the actor is well-known for other roles, especially in the world of voice acting, his most prominent part has to be this. 

Gal Gadot – Wonder Woman, Wonder Woman

Sadly, there aren’t many superhero movies led by women. However, luckily, we do have a few wonderful ones, and that includes Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman. She played the beloved hero with so much grace, poise and strength, and she’ll 100% always be remembered for it. 

Obviously, while all these actors have played other prominent roles in well-known movies and shows, there’s no question that when we consider their legacies, these parts will be the first ones we think about. They’re that iconic, and we have these performers to thank for them. 

Being nearly as old as the original Star Wars movie, I have grown up with the franchise my entire life and look forward to upcoming projects in the galaxy far, far away. Like so many, I was obsessed with it as a kid and I’m still a big fan. I’m looking forward to the day I show my kids Star Wars for the first time. By this point, I honestly thought there was nothing about the franchise I didn’t know and yet, I had no idea that Carrie Fisher and James Earl Jones had never met in person until years after the trilogy was over.

It’s confirmed that the first time Carrie Fisher and James Earl Jones met in person was when they both did a guest appearance on The Big Bang Theory back in 2014. According to showrunner Steve Molaro (via EW), the first thing Fisher said to Jones when they met was “Dad,” which sounds exactly like her sense of humor based on everything I’ve ever read about the late actress.

Carrie Fisher and James Earl Jones Didn’t Cross Paths For Almost 40 Years After Star Wars 

It makes perfect sense that Carrie Fisher and James Earl Jones would not have met during the production of the original Star Wars trilogy. Jones only ever did Darth Vader’s voice, so his work would have come after filming was complete. Leia and Darth Vader also have remarkably few scenes together throughout the trilogy, though their interactions are often the highlights of the best Star Wars movies.

But I would have thought that in the nearly 40 years between the first film and the Big Bang Theory episode, the two would have crossed paths. They could have met at a press junket for the movie or during some other event surrounding Star Wars. It’s not like there has been any shortage of Star Wars-themed events over the years. Of course, the two both made several non-Star Wars movies and just made movies in general. They could have met at an awards show after-party or the pool party of some mutual friend in Hollywood.

Other Star Wars Actors Met James Earl Jones Despite Never Filming Scenes With Him

The fact that Fisher and Jones didn't meet early on is all the more surprising considering that the other members of the original Star Wars trio met the Darth Vader actor much earlier than Carrie Fisher. While I don’t know exactly when Harrison Ford met James Earl Jones, the two shared scenes in 1992’s Patriot Games after Ford took over the role of Jack Ryan from Alec Baldwin, so they met no later than that.

The same is true of Mark Hamill. He wished his movie dad a "happy birthday" on (X) Twitter earlier this year and included an image of the two that, according to USA Today, was from 1987. It’s not clear if this was their first meeting, but if it wasn’t then the two actors met even earlier than that.

It’s nice that James Earl Jones and Carrie Fisher did meet at some point, even if it took The Big Bang Theory cameos to get there. They are both parts of the Skywalker family tree and of cinema history.

Star Wars is one of the most popular movie franchises of all time, with entire generations grown up far, far away. This made its cast household names, including OGs like Mark Hamill and late actress Carrie Fisher. Fans are still mourning her passing, and her friend (and singer) James Blunt claims she was pressured to be thin for the role prior to her death. 

The sequel trilogy (which can be streamed with a Disney+ subscription), revealed what the original trio of heroes had been up to since Return of the Jedi. Each movie focused on one of those characters, and Episode IX was going to put Leia in the spotlight before Fisher's death. Her friend James Blunt recently spoke at the Hay Festival (via The Independent) about her final days, offering: 

Before her passing, Carrie Fisher had been open about losing weight for her return to Leia in The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi. She claimed that the studio only wanted 2/3 of her body weight in the film, and she did end up dropping a bunch of weight for the sequel trilogy. Unfortunately, she wasn't able to complete that set of movies, as she passed prior to filming The Rise of Skywalker. 

The Force Awakens introduced new characters, and paired them with Harrison Ford's Han Solo, who was killed off by Kylo Ren late into the film. The Last Jedi put the spotlight on Luke (although Leia got moments like her infamous space float). Later in his same appearance, James Blunt revealed that he saw Fisher the day before her death. He explained how the pressure to lose weight and have a starring role in Episode IX resulted in her using drugs, as he put it:

In his book Loosely Based on a Made-Up Story, Blunt reportedly revealed that he did drugs with Carrie Fisher during their friendship, including close to her final days. And he seemingly has strong opinions about what was happening at the time, as well as her cause of death. 

While Carrie Fisher passed away back in 2016, her fans are still mourning and honoring her legacy. Leia given one more movie thanks to unused footage of the actress from the previous two, and daughter Billie Lourd has continued to speak on her impact. And although fans hearts may be broken, the franchise has left us with these words: no one's ever really gone. 

Fisher's tenure as Leia is streaming now on Disney+. The 2024 movie release dates are available for those looking to plan their next trip to the theater. 

This weekend marked yet another Star Wars Day and, as expected, it featured fun tributes from fans and members of the franchise alike. (Mace Windu actor Samuel L. Jackson celebrated particularly early this year.) Another series alum that took in the festivities was Billie Lourd, who notably played Lieutenant Connix in the sequel trilogy. Of course, Lourd is the daughter of the late Carrie Fisher, who became a pop culture icon for her portrayal of Princess Leia Organa. Lourd has kept the SW vibes flowing since losing her mom and, this year, she spent May the 4th with her daughter at Disney Parks. And what’s even sweeter is that under her post, fans left some great comments related to Fisher.

By now, many have likely had an opportunity to visit the Galaxy’s Edge locations of Disneyland and Disney’s Hollywood Studios, which have much to offer fans. Said places can also provide truly memorable experiences for parents and their children, as evidenced by social media updates that some share. Based on the American Horror Story vet’s Instagram post, she herself had a sweet moment with her 16-month-old baby girl, Jackson. In photos shared by the 31-year-old actress, you can see the adorable pair holding up a lightsaber at Savi’s Workshop at the DL Resort. Check it out: 

If there’s any single major theme in the Star Wars saga, it’s the idea of legacies. The Force is strong in the Skywalker line, and I’d like to think that there’s something remarkable about Billie Lourd and her family as well. She’s a talented actress in her own right, and she’s preceded by mom Carrie Fisher and maternal grandmother Debbie Reynolds. It would be an understatement to say that Fisher and Reynolds were phenomenal actresses, and they were also incredibly close. I love that Lourd is making memories with her own child now and keeping the galaxy far, far away in the mix while doing that.

The reactions to the Booksmart alum’s post are also lovely, with many noting how sweet it is that she’s spending time with her little girl in such a way. Unsurprisingly, though, many are also making mention of her late mom, who died in 2016 of cardiac arrest. Check out some of the messages that people shared in response to her daughter’s May the 4th update:

• Your mom was my childhood hero and forever will be. I have a Leia tattoo on my leg. - lauren_alex_photography
• Much love. Carrie is 4ever in our hearts. Also, omg your Mickey ears, they’re Leia buns?!?!🤍 - labeilledoux
• May the Fourth be with you Billie!!! You and your mother are such inspirations and she will always be the strongest in the galaxy ❤️🤍🌌 - tylerglynn14
• You’ll probably never see this but your mom was one of my greatest inspirations. May the 4th be with you, and her memory live on forever 💕 - castowayd
• There are so many that love you. Your mom is a legend dude 😍❤️ It’s clear she was a great mother but how much you continue to honor her memory ❤️❤️ Stay strong XO - shellmybells

Carrie Fisher may be gone, but she’s certainly not forgotten. Today, not only do fans continue to honor her, but her friends and family do as well. Co-star and on-screen brother Mark Hamill has shared fun throwbacks featuring Fisher as well as some of their other Star Wars co-stars. In 2023, Fisher was also honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame posthumously. Some particularly sweet remembrances of the actress and writer have come from her daughter, though. For instance, during Star Wars Day in 2021, she shared a photo of her son, Kingston, watching Fisher in A New Hope. 

One can’t help but shed a tear when seeing the continued love for Carrie Fisher and her family. I’d say that Billie Lourd is keeping her legacy alive in sweet fashion, and I hope that continues to be the case. Here’s to many more splendid May the 4th outings for Lourd and her kids at Disneyland and more, and let’s hope for continued tributes to her legendary mother. 

While May 4th has passed, you can still celebrate the occasion by streaming the Star Wars movies in order using a Disney+ subscription. Also, be sure to stay in the know when it comes to upcoming SW movies and shows.

Generations grew up with Star Wars, with its leading cast remaining household names throughout the years. That includes the icon Carrie Fisher, who died back in 2016. Her legacy has been honored in the years since, especially her tenure playing Leia Organa. And Fisher’s sister recently got candid about the late actress’ struggles with her mental health. Let’s break it all down.

The SAG-AFTRA strike is still in full effect, with countless union members out of work for months now. As such, the union has been making strides to take care of its members during this strange time in the industry. Case in point: SAG-AFTRA’s website has revealed some mental health resources. In a new update by union treasurer Joely Fisher, she references the struggles that Carrie Fisher famously faced during her years in the public eye. As she put it:

There you have it. Indeed, Carrie Fisher wore her substance issues and mental health struggles like a badge of honor. Case in point: her book Wishful Drinking or her 2010 stage show of the same name. And it seems her half sister Joely Fisher wants to help SAG-AFTRA members take care of their mental health as a result. 

Carrie Fisher was just one of many celebrities who have been honest about living with depression or other mental health issues. And it seems like Joely Fisher and SAG-AFTRA are trying to take care of union members who might need some assistance in that regard. The ongoing strike no doubt exacerbated any mental health struggles that folks were already experiencing– especially with the union not working for so long. And Carrie Fisher would no doubt feel similarly about giving people the resources they need.

Part of Fisher’s legacy in Hollywood is her signature wit, as well as her transparency regarding struggles she faced during her life. This was before it became more common for celebrities to be upfront about both physical and mental health. Add in her work on Star Wars and doctoring countless Hollywood movie scripts, and Carrie Fisher had likely touched the lives of countless fans out there.

Carrie Fisher’s time in the galaxy far, far away is available to stream with a Disney+ subscription. 

In some ways, it’s still hard to believe Carrie Fisher is no longer with us, even though nearly seven years have passed since her sudden death. Though she’s gone, her memory lives on through her work as well as those who knew her best. Star Wars co-star Mark Hamill is one of the many who continues to reference and pay tribute to the Princess Leia actress. One of the ways he does so is by honoring her with an annual birthday message. Hamill followed through with that tradition this year by sharing some lovely photos. In the process, he also lovingly poked fun at Luke and Leia’s relationship. 

Star Wars fans surely know Luke and Leia are siblings, but that wasn’t always the case. Before working on 1983’s Return of the Jedi, George Lucas hadn’t decided that the two would be blood relatives. So it wasn’t awkward when they locked lips in 1980’s The Empire Strikes Back. In hindsight though, the moment is somewhat cringey due to the connection between Anakin Skywalker’s two kiddos. 

Mark Hamill is definitely aware of the situation and appeared to reference it by posting two photos for his late friend and colleague’s birthday. One showed the two actors in a candid off-set moment, sharing a playful kiss. The other was a still from 2017’s The Last Jedi, which showed the moment Luke kissed Leia’s forehead. That may not not seem like a jokey post, on the surface, but it was the cheeky actor’s caption that seemingly gave away his intent: 

Those emojis are pretty much the giveaways, if you ask me. Leave it to the former Joker voice actor to celebrate Carrie Fisher’s birthday in such a witty way. You can see the latest in his series of birthday tributes to Fisher below:

It’s always wonderful whenever Mark Hamill pays tribute to his on-screen sibling. He did so earlier this year when he reacted to her getting a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The voice-acting legend was present at the eventual ceremony for the honor alongside his late co-star’s daughter, Billie Lourd. Many of Hamill’s anecdotes about the actress are legendary at this point and, this past summer, he dropped a good one. It involved her giving him some brutally honest advice when he tried to distance himself from Star Wars. 

Today, Billie Lourd isn’t trying to make space between herself and her mom’s legacy. The actress has fully embraced the love fans have given her, and she pays heartfelt tribute to Fisher on her birthday and other occasions. Though she’s had some drama with Fisher’s family, Lourd continues to push through and make her mother proud.

As Luke said to Leia in Star Wars: The Last Jedi, “no one’s ever really gone,” and that’s exactly what can be said about Carrie Fisher. Her legacy and vivacious spirit will continue to live on through her fans and loved ones for years to come. I’m sure Mark Hamill will see to that, as he continues to remember her – and poke fun at their liplocks and other funny moments.

All of the veteran actress’ appearances in the Star Wars movies can be streamed using a Disney+ subscription.

As many Star Wars fans likely know, Ahsoka actor Ray Stevenson sadly passed away in May. The news was devastating at the time, and it became all the more poignant three months later when the show premiered. Shortly after its debut, Stevenson’s character, Baylan Skoll, became an instant fan favorite. Though he had completed filming for prior to his passing, fans like myself still can’t help but wonder if his character's fate is going to mimic a similar arc for one key character from the franchise's sequel trilogy: Princess Leia. 

Don’t get me wrong, it's sad when an actor dies regardless of the circumstances, and fans usually show out when it comes to paying respects. (Just look at the outpouring of love for Michael Gambon from the Harry Potter community this past weekend.) However, but it's arguably more bittersweet when an actor passes away during or right after completing a phenomenal role. The Star Wars family knows that kind of situation well and, because of that, I have a bad feeling about what lies ahead for Baylan in the finale. Let's talk this out, shall we?

Princess Leia Didn't Get The Ending She Deserved In The Sequel Trilogy

Carrie Fisher’s death was devastating for so many people and for a myriad of reasons. She was a beloved mother, daughter, sister, actress, and friend, and her loss was and remains tremendous. Less importantly (but notably), her passing also impacted the Star Wars sequels, as Leia was set to be a major player in The Rise of Skywalker. That would've mirrored how Harrison Ford's Han Solo and Mark Hamill's Luke  Skywalker played key roles in The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi, respectively. Unfortunately, Fisher passed away before filming began, and J.J. Abrams and the team behind the movie had to find a new way to tell their story without General Organa.

While Princess Leia did appear in the final sequel movie through the use of previously shot footage, her send-off wasn’t what many fans were expecting. Nor was it what the iconic Princess Leia character deserved. Again, Ray Stevenson did manage to complete his work on Ahsoka's season before he died, but there's still reason to be concerned.

I Have A Feeling Baylan Skoll Will Suffer A Similar Fate

Obviously, we won’t know what's going to happen to Baylan until after the finale airs this week, but given the Star Wars television universe’s affinity for ending seasons on cliffhangers, there's a chance Ahsoka could follow suit. Series creator Dave Filoni and co. may have planned a cliffhanger that sets up a potential second season. Or at the very least, such a development could set the stage for Filoni's upcoming movie (which will make use of cutting-edge technology) that is said to tie all the D+ shows together.

I worry that if Baylan’s storyline isn't resolved by the end of the season and Dave Filoni had big plans for him down the road, he could end up being brushed to the side. The character hardly had any screen time in Episode 7. In it, he sent his apprentice, Shin Hati, after Sabine Wren and Ezra Bridger so he could continue with his own journey to find what or who is calling to him on Peridea. He did, of course, also engage in a duel with the titular protagonist, but there wasn't much forward progress when it came to his arc.

It's feeling more and more likely Ahsoka fans, like myself, might have to reckon with an unfinished ending for the great Lord Baylan Skoll. That would be a shame, given how much potential there is with for the former Jedi Knight/General-turned- mercenary. What's been most compelling about him is that morally, he seems to operate in a grey area between the light and dark sides of the Force. It's possible Skoll's arc will conclude this week but, given what's been set up, one just can't shake the feeling his story won't be completely tied up.

Of course, the powers that be at Lucasfilm could choose to recast the Star Wars character for future stories if needed, but I don’t think many fans would be pleased with that. I would personally be more angry than excited. After all, part of what makes Baylan a great character is Ray Stevenson's performance. And I highly doubt Dave Filoni has unused footage to stitch together the way Abrams did with Carrie Fisher’s Leia in The Rise of Skywalker. I'm definitely nervous about how the story will go for Skoll, but let's hope it's satisfying.

Ahsoka is streaming now for anyone with an active Disney+ subscription, and the finale drops on October 3rd at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT. Those who are already eager to know what the next major production set in the galaxy far, far away will be can also read up on upcoming Star Wars shows and movies.

In December 2016, Carrie Fisher passed away at the age of 60, living behind a lasting legacy as an actress, script doctor, author, advocate for mental health, and all-around great human being. Throughout her legendary career, which included some of the biggest movies of all time with the Star Wars franchise, one of the best romantic comedies of all time, and dozens upon dozens of other great appearances and cameos, Fisher was continually one of the brightest, funniest, and most down-to-earth stars on the planet. 

That being said, it should come as no surprise that she also had some great stories from her life both on and off the screen, some that are just too good to not share. Here are 25 fun facts about Carrie Fisher and the late actress’ legendary career.

Carrie Fisher Was A Prolific Hollywood Script Doctor

Though she didn’t receive a screenwriting credit on all the movies she worked on throughout her career, Carrie Fisher was, at one point, one of the most prolific script doctors in the industry. Shortly after her death, Slash Film published a profile on the late actress, in which it was pointed out that she worked on everything from The Wedding Singer to Hook and Sister Act to Last Action Hero during her time as a script doctor, helping punch up the dialogue in countless films. In a 2008 interview with Newsweek, Fisher said her time working on scripts was a “very lucrative episode” in her life.

She Even Rewrote Some Of Her Dialogue In The Star Wars Movies

George Lucas wrote the scripts for the original trilogy of Star Wars, but the actors, most notably Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher, reworked certain scenes, because, as Fisher explained in a Phoenix New Times interview, “you can type this shit but you can’t say it.” In the 2008 chat, the late actress revealed that by the time Return of the Jedi came out, she was “rewriting a little bit” of her dialogue. And, she was even asked to help punch up the first of the prequel trilogy years later. 

Fisher And Mark Hamill Once Convinced A Theater Manager To Let Them Watch The First Star Wars Trailer

Ahead of the release of Star Wars: A New Hope, back in 1977, there weren’t a lot of ways to check out the trailer unless you saw it in a theater, even if you were the star of the movie. As Mark Hamill revealed at Star Wars Celebration 2017 (via Variety), he and Carrie Fisher went to a Westwood theater and convinced the manager to let them in to watch the trailer. 

She Once Joked That Killing Jabba The Hutt Was The Best Time She Had As An Actor

When speaking at the Hay Festival in 2014 (via The Guardian), Fisher joked that the best part of her experience with Star Wars, and as an actor in general, was the scene in which she got to strangle the worm-like Jabba the Hutt in Return of the Jedi. The actress also revealed that she was asked if she’d prefer a stunt double to do the deed, but she said “No” because she really wanted to do it.

The Star Wars Actress Was Known To Throw Epic Hollywood Parties

In addition to being a legendary actress and script doctor, Fisher was also known for throwing incredible, exclusive Hollywood parties, which have since become the stuff of legend. In 2019, Sheila Weller highlighted these fabulous parties in Carrie Fisher: A Life on the Edge (via EW). The most exclusive of these parties were her annual Halloween celebrations with Penny Marshall, which were about “85 percent incredibly famous people,” as one party goer was quoted in the book.

She Once Sent A Cow’s Tongue To A Hollywood Producer

She was also a deeply devoted friend. When speaking with 94/9 Morning Mix (via Washington Post) in 2017, screenwriter and producer Heather Ross revealed that after an unnamed Hollywood producer tried to put the moves on her, she told Fisher, who delivered the man a box containing a cow’s tongue and a note that basically said something of his would be in a smaller box next time if this happened again.

Fisher Worried Star Wars Would Ruin Her Career

More than 40 years after its initial release, Star Wars: A New Hope is why most people remember Fisher, but she once worried that the sci-fi epic would ruin her career, not propel it. When speaking with Yahoo! Entertainment in 2018, Todd Fisher revealed that his older sister was anxious about the movie and the effect it would have on her career, so much so that she nearly missed the premiere because she was so nervous and didn’t want to go in.

During Her First Star Wars Press Tour, Fisher And Her Co-Stars Would Go From Interviews To Amusement Parks 

Fisher, Ford, and Mark Hamill were all quite young when they were thrust into superstardom upon the release of A New Hope, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the trio would goof off on their press tour. In an essay for Newsweek, Fisher revealed that they would go “straight from doing press to whatever amusement park was available.”

Elizabeth Taylor Once Pushed Her Into A Pool

Fisher had quite the history with Elizabeth Taylor, considering the Cleopatra star was her one-time stepmother. In the late 1990s, Fisher was invited to one of Taylor’s parties where the late icon told her she was going to push her into the pool. And she did, as Fisher remembered in a Daily Mail article, saying it's the event that allowed her to form a friendship with her former stepmother.

Carrie Fisher And Tom Hanks Improvised A Lot Of Their Scenes In The Burbs

In addition to featuring one of Tom Hanks’ best on-screen meltdowns, Joe Dante’s The Burbs also includes a great deal of improvisation by the two-time Academy Award winner and Fisher. When speaking about the movie following the actress’ death, Dante revealed to LA Weekly that a lot of their scenes together were full of improv, including the classic kitchen sequence.

She Once Helped Meryl Streep Kill Insects To Protect Some Raspberries

When presenting the 32nd AFI Life Achievement Award to Meryl Streep in 2004, Fisher revealed that she spent a few days at the Oscar winner’s house the previous year, after she asked the Star Wars actress to help her in the garden. Fisher would quickly learn something while protecting the raspberry bushes: “Don’t mess with Meryl.”

The Actress Agreed To Be In Jay & Bob Strike Back For A Pair Of Antique Beaver Chairs

In May 2020, Kevin Smith revealed on Twitter that when asked to perform a small cameo in Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back, Fisher agreed to play a nun for no money, but a pair of antique beaver chairs. When Smith asked about the strange request, Fisher responded by saying she thought “beaver was ironic currency to be in your movie.”

She Based Postcards From The Edge On Her Real-Life Relationship With Mother Debbie Reynolds

In 1990, Streep and Shirley MacLaine starred in Postcards from the Edge, a film adaptation of Fisher’s semi-autobiographical novel of the same name. In Roger Ebert’s review, the late critic pointed out that the movie, like the book, was inspired by Fisher’s real-life relationship with mother Debbie Reynolds.

Carrie Fisher Originally Thought Her Return Of The Jedi Bikini Was A Joke

For better or worse, Princess Leia’s bikini from Return of the Jedi has become one of the most iconic costumes from the franchise, but Fisher originally thought it was some kind of joke. When speaking with NPR’s Fresh Air, the actress revealed that when she first saw the concept art, she thought everyone was kidding. 

She Had A 'Tumultuous’ Yet ‘Special’ Relationship With Mark Hamill

Fisher and Mark Hamill played brother and sister in Star Wars, and their relationship off-screen very much felt that way in real life. When speaking with Esquire following Fisher’s death, Hamill revealed that the pair shared a “tumultuous relationship” where they’d get in a fight and not speak to one another for six months, yet they had a “special” connection.

Simon Pegg Said Meeting Carrie Fisher Was ‘The Best Day’ Of His Life

During a 2020 Vanity Fair interview, Simon Pegg revealed that he got to spend a day with Carrie Fisher on the set of The Force Awakens, which he called the “best day” of his life. While walking around, Pegg told Fisher that he had always loved her, to which she responded by looking at his wedding ring and saying “Fuck you.”

Fisher’s Childhood Nickname Was ‘The Bookworm’

Fisher was an accomplished writer (of books and screenplays), so it’s no surprise that she loved to read. During a chat with The Los Angeles Times, the actress revealed that her childhood nickname was “the bookworm” because of her obsessive reading habits.

John Belushi Set Carrie Fisher Up With Dan Aykroyd

Dan Aykroyd and Fisher were together for a stretch of time during the late ‘70s and early '80s, and they had their future Blues Brothers co-star John Belushi to thank. When speaking with the AV Club, Fisher revealed that one night, she got a call from Belushi, who invited her over for a party. When she arrived, Belushi was passed out and she was left alone with Aykroyd. She would refer to this as the “Belushi blind date.” 

Aykroyd Asked Fisher To Marry Him Minutes After He Saved Her Life

Aykroyd and Fisher would end up getting engaged while shooting The Blues Brothers, and the proposal was about as eventful as you'd imagine. When speaking with the Chicago Tribune, Fisher revealed that she was at dinner with the Ghostbusters star when she started to choke on a Brussels sprout. Aykroyd jumped up, performed the Heimlich maneuver, and later popped the question. How could she say no?

Fisher Is Still Considered A Mental Health Hero

Fisher never shied away from talking about her struggles with mental health and addiction, and is still considered a hero for many people around the world nearly seven years after her death. In 2018, HuffPost posted a sprawling essay about the late actress and the efforts she made to end the stigma associated with mental health throughout her life.

Carrie Fisher And Mark Hamill Had An Inside Joke About Their Star Wars Characters 

Hamill, always one to have fun with random aspects of Star Wars, revealed on his Twitter in 2019 that he and Fisher had an inside joke where he would ask if Luke Skywalker was royalty since his sister, Leia, was a princess, and his mother was once the queen of Naboo. 

She Once Served As A Mediator Between Whoopi Goldberg And Former Disney Studios Chairman Jeffrey Katzenberg

Another wild aspect of Fisher’s career was that she once served as a mediator between Whoopi Goldberg and former Disney Studios Chairman Jeffery Katzenberg during the development of Sister Act. In a great 1992 EW article about the spat, it was revealed that Fisher told Goldberg to send the studio executive a hatchet along with a note saying “Please bury this on both our behalfs.”

Carrie Fisher Was The Godmother Of James Blunt’s Son

Remember James Blunt, the singer-songwriter who became a massive sensation in the early 2000s with his hit song, “You’re Beautiful,” among other hits? Well, Fisher was his son's godmother. When speaking with The Sunday Times (via RadioTimes), the Grammy nominee revealed that Fisher invited him to live at her home when he was writing “Back to Bedlam,” which he named after the experience.

She Brought Her Dog, Gary Fisher, Everywhere She Went

Those who have long followed the Gary Fisher Instagram account are fully aware that the late actress’ cherished french bulldog went with her everywhere, whether that was TV appearances, red carpets, or various functions.  

She Won A Posthumous Grammy In 2018 For Her Memoir Audiobook ‘The Princess Diarist’

A little more than a year after her passing, Fisher received a posthumous Grammy for her memoir audiobook, The Princess Diarist, a life and career-spanning autobiography that revealed a great number of details about her biggest and most unforgettable moments. According to Billboard, the award was in the Best Spoken Word category.

As you can probably tell by now, Carrie Fisher lived quite the memorable life, both on and off screen. Even though she is no longer with us, we still have her movies, books, and legacy to remind us of her incredible spirit.

The last time audiences saw the late Carrie Fisher on the big screen was by way of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. But due to the Fisher's untimely death in 2016, her face was put on a digital body in order to bring back Leia one last time. That wasn't the final film that she'd ever made, however, as she still has another one that's in the can but has yet to see the light of day. Now, the flick is finally set to be released, but it may be challenging to see in movie theaters.

Carrie Fisher had plenty of Star Wars moments that made her a household name, but we can't forget that she had a number of non-SW movie roles that allowed her to flex her muscles as an actor. The final movie in her filmography will ultimately be the coming-of-age fantasy film Wonderwell. Vlad Marsavin’s directorial debut will have a limited theatrical release through AMC. The public will indeed get to see the movie, though a limited cinema window indicates that it won't reach too many moviegoers. That may be disappointing to some, but there is a bright spot. The film will eventually be released digitally, and that will make it more easily accessible for the general public.

According to Deadline, the motion picture wrapped up six weeks before the When Harry Met Sally... actress passed away from cardiac arrest. Now that this movie is about to finally be released to the public, director Vlad Marsavin is explaining why it took seven years for the production to make its way to our screens:

Wonderwell fell victim to a major release delay due to COVID-19, and it looks like it was also marred by visual effects challenges. So it's great to know that it's nearly with us.

However, some fans are seemingly unhappy with the digital release method, as they believe Carrie Fisher's final performance deserves a grand debut. Though Vlad Marsavin didn't address any of those negative feelings, he did reveal that he's planning to include a dedication to Carrie Fisher in his movie. He also went on to share some fond memories from the time he spent with her on the set:

This first-time director was very lucky to get the chance to work with the Star Wars actress, and their film sounds delightful. Wonderwell is jointly set to the backdrop of modern-day Italy and a fantastical realm. The movie centers on a 12-year-old girl, who wanders into a mystical forest and meets a mysterious being (played by Carrie Fisher). From there, the child makes her way to a portal that may give her a glimpse into her future. It definitely sounds like a movie made for the big screen, and one hopes that Fisher's fans get to see her final performance in a manner that's preferable for them.

Keep an eye out for news on Wonderwell's theatrical debut, and know that it'll become available digitally starting on June 23. Also, keep an eye on CinemaBlend's schedule of 2023 new movie releases to plan your next trip to the cinema. 

Mark Hamill is without a doubt one of Hollywood’s most beloved stars, as he’s endeared himself to audiences over the years through his memorable performances. While he’s brought more than a few notable characters to life in his time, the one that arguably stands above the rest is Star Wars’ Luke Skywalker. Hamill is still widely recognized for his role as the courageous Jedi, and he seems to have accepted that notoriety. However, there was a time at which he sought to distance himself from George Lucas’ galaxy far, far away. It was at that point that co-star Carrie Fisher bestowed a brutal piece of advice upon him. 

Near the end of the Original Trilogy, the now-71-year-old actor wanted to flex different acting muscles. One of the ways he sought to do so was by acting in a number of Broadway productions, with a particularly notable one being Amadeus. From 1982 to 1983, Mark Hamill played the titular role and did so effectively. So when he learned that filmmaker Miloš Forman was directing a feature-film adaptation, Hamill threw his hat in the casting ring. Unfortunately, for him, Forman wasn’t too keen on casting the sci-fi icon: 

While recounting this story on CBS’ Sunday Morning, the star admitted that he was disappointed by the rejection but appreciated the director’s honesty. He also recalled that around the same time, he had a discussion with the always-vivacious Carrie Fisher. The late, great actress apparently learned that her on-screen sibling had attempted to somewhat hide his connection to Star Wars while doing the play. From there, she said something that has seemingly resonated with him since: 

The When Harry Met Sally… alum certainly had a way with words, didn’t she? But in all seriousness, she made a very good point. There’s probably no use in running away from an IP and fandom that are just so strong. I’ve never headlined a major franchise myself, but I’d imagine that it may just be easier for a star to simply embrace a role and the love that comes with it.

Based on his interviews and the social media posts he’s shared, Mark Hamill doesn’t stray from his Star Wars roots these days. He doesn’t hesitate to share cool BTS stories about auditions, the filmmaking process and more. There are also the sweet birthday shoutouts he honors Harrison Ford, Alec Guinness and more with. And of course, Hamill hasn’t forgotten his faux sister, as he’s shared some sweet throwbacks involving Carrie Fisher. The actor also honored Fisher when she received her star on The Hollywood Walk of Fame earlier this year.

It would seem that George Lucas’ brainchild did far more than help launch Mark Hamill’s career into the stratosphere. The massive entertainment property also gave him lasting relationships with fellow actors – one of which, thankfully, didn’t mind being honest with him. I, for one, am happy that he continues to reference the franchise fondly and sincerely hope he continues to get love for his performance as Luke Skywalker for generations to come. 

You can check out that Star Wars work by streaming the films of the Skywalker Saga using a Disney+ subscription.

May the 4th, known as Star Wars Day, holds immense significance for fans of the beloved franchise. This year, the day carried an even deeper meaning for actress Billie Lourd as she graciously accepted the posthumous star dedicated to her late mother, Carrie Fisher, on the iconic Hollywood Walk of Fame six years after the legendary Princess Leia actress died at age 60. However, the joyous occasion was marred by the family drama that unfolded between Lourd and her mother’s siblings. In this comprehensive rundown, I’ll delve into the details of the emotional conflict that developed leading up to this highly anticipated event.

Carrie Fisher’s Siblings Issue Public Statements

Todd Fisher, Carrie’s only brother, told TMZ he was hurt after the family deliberately excluded him from the ceremony. He told the publication:

Fisher, son of Eddie Fisher and legendary actress Debbie Reynolds (who died a mere day after her daughter), has expressed irony in the situation, stating that he was the one who initiated the process of securing a star for Carrie on the Walk of Fame. He emphasizes his unwavering dedication to preserving the family’s Hollywood legacy. With a bond that lasted over six decades, Todd considers the exclusion from the guest list as deeply hurtful and distressing, given his significant involvement in his sister and mother’s endeavors throughout their lives.

Todd also highlighted that he accompanied Carrie to their mother’s previous Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony and her handprint dedication at the renowned Chinese Theatre. Upon learning that he was not included in the guest list, Todd took the initiative to contact the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, the authority responsible for the Walk of Fame plaques, seeking clarification. According to Todd, he was informed that Disney had control over the guest list for the event.

Soon after Fisher’s public statement, Carrie’s half-sisters, Joely and Tricia Leigh, took to Instagram and issued a joint statement claiming that Billie Lourd had made a conscious decision not to include them, citing the reason as “misguided.” From their point of view, the two sisters made it clear that “Carrie would have definitely wanted her siblings to be present” for the epic career moment.

Supporting Todd’s assertions, Joely and Tricia acknowledged the longstanding division within the family. They emphasized that they have respected Billie’s need for personal grieving following Carrie’s passing, allowing her the necessary space to process the loss in her own manner. Expressing their shock, they highlighted the deliberate exclusion of Carrie's only brother and two sisters from the event, saying:

Billie Lourd's Accusations Against Her Mother's Siblings

Lourd expressed her disapproval of how her aunt and uncle dealt with their grief publicly following her mother and grandmother’s passing. Lourd issued a statement ahead of the ceremony event, claiming that her aunts and uncles chose to capitalize on their deaths, referencing books and interviews that were released in the wake of the tragedy. She clarified that she disagreed with their actions and believed they were exploiting the situation for their own benefit. Billie explained in her response:

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Billie Lourd explained in her statement that she chose to address the situation after her aunts and uncle made public criticisms against her, believing she needed to respond publicly. Lourd clarified that she was the one who did not extend an invitation to her mother’s siblings for the Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony, stating that they are aware of the reasons behind her decision.

Joely Fisher released her memoir, “Growing Up Fisher: Musings, Memories and Misadventures,” in 2017. Todd Fisher followed suit in the summer of 2018, publishing his own memoir dedicated to his sister and mother, entitled “My Girls: A Lifetime with Carrie and Debbie.” Lourd further elaborated on the matter by stating:

The Scream Queen actress took issue with her uncle’s claim of securing the star for Carrie. Lourd concluded her statement:

Todd Fisher Responds to Billie Lourd's Claims

In response to his niece’s accusations, Todd Fisher spoke to ET, vehemently disagreeing with her statements. He stated that he took issue with her comments on every level and refuted the claim that his family had profited from the aftermath of Carrie Fisher’s death. Todd Fisher pointed out that he did an interview with 20/20 following the deaths of his sister and mother, Debbie Reynolds, but did not charge for it. He explained that he participated in the interview because he disagreed with the analysis that his mother had died of a broken heart, and he never profited from the interview. He told the outlet:  

Concluding his remarks, Todd Fisher expressed his belief that his late sister would have desired his presence at the event. He emphasized that throughout the release of the Star Wars films, he consistently served as her companion at the premieres, acting as her plus one. Todd concluded his statement by firmly stating that he is convinced there is “absolutely no way” that Carrie would not have wanted him to be there.

And That Brings Us Up To Date

On Thursday, May 4th, 2023, Billie Lourd graciously accepted the posthumous accolade in Los Angeles on behalf of her beloved mother. She was joined by Mark Hamill (who said the honor was long overdue), Fisher’s Star Wars co-star, who also delivered a heartfelt speech during the ceremony. Lourd affectionately referred to Hamill as her “space uncle,” he described Fisher as remarkably wise, surpassing her years in wisdom right from the moment they first crossed paths.

Fisher’s siblings respected their niece’s wishes and did not attend the ceremony.

That basically breaks down the essential details of the ongoing drama within Carrie Fisher’s family. However, considering the statements made by the involved parties, it is evident that the situation remains unresolved. We will continue to keep our readers informed in the event of any further developments or updates.

As the Walk of Fame prepares to honor Carrie Fisher with a star, her daughter Billie Lourd explained why the Star Wars actress's siblings weren’t invited to the ceremony. She claimed that after her mother’s death, her aunt and uncle “chose to process their grief publicly and capitalize” on their loved one’s death. Now, the late actress’s brother has responded to his niece's claims. 

Lourd made it very clear she did not agree with how her mother's siblings dealt with her death, pointing out the books and interviews that came out following Carrie Fisher's death. Then, Todd Fisher responded, telling ET:

Todd Fisher went on to talk about an interview he did following the deaths of his sister and mother Debbie Reynolds, who passed away one day after Carrie Fisher. He said:

He continued, mentioning his memoir My Girls, which is about his mother and sister, which he wrote in the months following their deaths. Todd Fisher said: 

In the end, Tod Fisher noted that he thinks Carrie Fisher would have wanted him at the event. He also said that as the Star Wars movies came out he would always be her plus one at the premieres. He ended his statement by saying that he thinks there is “absolutely no way that Carrie wouldn’t want me there.” 

This is not the first time Todd Fisher has spoken out about being “intentionally omitted” from the ceremony. He spoke to TMZ about not being invited, and Carrie Fisher’s sisters Joely and Tricia Leigh posted a joint Instagram statement saying Lourd had “chosen to not include” them, and it was for a “misguided reason.” Due to these public comments, the Booksmart actress also published a statement addressing why she didn’t invite her mother’s siblings, noting both the news story and the social media post, saying later that “they know why” they weren’t invited. 

Billie Lourd has always been pretty private, and will occasionally post about her late mother. She’s spoken about how Carrie Fisher’s sense of humor impacted her upbringing, and to honor the Star Wars star’s birthday, she uploaded a candid message. However, she tends to keep to herself, especially when it comes to her family. Through this statement, the actress made it very clear that she did not agree with how her mother’s siblings chose to publicly address the Star Wars icon's death.

When it comes to the Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony Mark Hamill called it a “long overdue & so well-deserved,” honor for the actress, and I think anyone who has watched the Star Wars movies in order would likely agree with him. However, in terms of who will be at the event, Lourd clarified why she did not want her mother’s siblings there, and they explained why they thought they should attend.  

Billie Lourd will be celebrating Star Wars Day this year by accepting her mother Carrie Fisher’s posthumous star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, over six years after the legendary actress died at the age of 60. Ahead of the event set to take place on May the 4th in Hollywood, California, Lourd has issued a statement explaining the honest reason behind Carrie Fisher’s three siblings not being invited to attend the dedication. 

Earlier this week, Carrie Fisher’s brother, Todd Fisher, shared with TMZ that he was “intentionally omitted” from attending the late Carrie Fisher’s Hollywood Walk of Fame celebration. Then, on Wednesday morning, Fisher’s two sisters, Joely and Tricia Leigh Fisher, jointly shared on Instagram that their niece had “chosen not to include” them for “some bizarre, misguided reason.” Following these developments, Billie Lourd issued a statement, sharing her reasoning. As she explained: 

In the statement (via The Hollywood Reporter), Billie Lourd shared that she decided to write the statement only because her aunts and uncle “publicly attacked” her and felt she needed to “publicly respond.” As Lourd shared, she is the one who didn’t invite them to the Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony, and “they know why.” 

Billie Lourd lost both her mother, Carrie Fisher, and her grandmother, Debbie Reynolds, in just two days. Fisher died on Dec. 27, 2016 at the UCLA Medical Center four days after experiencing a medical emergency while she was on a flight from London to Los Angeles during her book tour. Then on Dec. 28, 2016, Reynolds died at the age of 84 in Los Angeles. 

In 2017, Joely Fisher published the memoir Growing Up Fisher: Musings, Memories and Misadventures, and in summer 2018, Todd Fisher published a memoir about his sister and mother called My Girls: A Lifetime with Carrie and Debbie. Lourd also continued with these words: 

Billie Lourd has greatly kept her personal life private, though she has spoken about the impact her late mother has had on her a handful of times following her death. In a 2022 interview, ahead of her role in the rom-com Ticket to Paradise, she called Fisher “the funniest woman of all time,” and during the Star Wars’ actress’ recent birthday, she opened up about her grief to remind others they are “not alone.”

Since Carrie Fisher’s death, Billie Lourd has had two children with Austen Rydell, whom she married in 2022 and where she honored her late mother. As Lourd explained, she has “no relationship” with her mother's siblings, and given how they dealt with her death, she was uncomfortable with inviting them to this event. Carrie Fisher’s Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony will be streamed live on the Walk of Fame website while it happens on Thursday, May 4 at 11:30 a.m. PT.  

There are few movie franchises quite as popular as Star Wars. Generations of moviegoers were brought up on the galaxy far, far away, and Lucasfilm is showing no signs of slowing down given all the upcoming Star Wars movies and TV shows coming down the line. But there are perhaps the most nostalgic feelings about George Lucas’ original trilogy, which made household names out of its trio of stars. That includes Luke Skywalker himself, Mark Hamill, who recently reacted to his co-star Carrie Fisher being honored with a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Princess Leia is one of the most iconic movie characters of all time, played famously by late actress Carrie Fisher. Fisher passed away in December of 2016, shortly after completing her role in Star Wars: The Last Jedi. The fandom has been celebrating her legacy and mourning that loss for years, and she was recently given a much-deserved honor with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Hamill took to Twitter to celebrate this, posting:

Hard agree. Aside from her tenure as Leia Organa in Star Wars, Carrie Fisher had a successful writer that spanned across screen and stage. And as such, it’s more than appropriate for her to get her own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. What’s more, the ceremony will happen on May the 4th aka Star Wars day. Talk about timing.

Carrie Fisher's outstanding wit and comedic timing have been the subject of much conversation since she suddenly passed away in 2016. On top of dealing with the loss of the beloved actress, the unexpected nature of her death also changed the trajectory of her character in the Star Wars franchise. Episode IX was supposed to be her movie, with Fisher’s daughter Billie Lourd confirming how excited she was to take center stage again and become the titular Last Jedi.

As previously mentioned, Fisher’s Walk of Fame ceremony will take place on May 4th, which is affectionately called Star Wars day by the fans and alums like Samuel L. Jackson. Her daughter Billie Lourd will reportedly accept the award on her behalf, which will no doubt be a moving experience for the fans who tune in to see it all go down. 

As for Lourd, she’s got a thriving acting career and personal happiness, given her recent marriage and children. She’s also super generous with the public regarding her relationship with her late mother, including posting annually on Carrie Fisher’s birthday. 

Star Wars continues to expand through both shows and movies, with Lucasfilm recently announcing plans for a new trilogy. In the meantime, check out the 2023 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience.

Let me tell you something that truly changed my life as a young girl – women in movies. There are so many blockbuster films that I watched as a kid and fell in love with because of not only the content I was viewing, but the badass actresses I was watching on the screen. From sci-fi horror movies to dystopian young adult films, I have and will always be in love with these amazing actresses who put their all into leading these blockbuster movies to success – or having standout roles that I truly can’t forget. Here are some of my favorites, from Viola Davis to Sigourney Weaver.

Viola Davis (The Woman King)

Obviously, we need to start this list with a killer performance from 2022, Viola Davis in The Woman King cast. She's had plenty of awesome roles before that you might recognize her from, but her portrayal of General Nanisca, of the real-life warrior women, the Agojie, did something to me and wow, I’ve never been terrified of Viola Davis kicking my butt, but here we are. If you haven’t had the chance to watch her in this fantastic Black-led film, please do so.

Charlize Theron (Mad Max: Fury Road) 

The Mad Max: Fury Road cast was filled with stars who have gone on do plenty, but everyone always talks about Charlize Theron, who portrayed Furiosa in the critically acclaimed post-apocalyptic action film. There’s a reason why there’s a prequel film coming out about her character – she was badass, a killer, and I would watch her over and over again if I could. 

Letitia Wright And Angela Bassett (Black Panther: Wakanda Forever)

After the tragic passing of Chadwick Boseman in 2020, the Marvel Cinematic Universe took a different turn in the world Black Panther, putting T’Challa’s sister, Shuri, and his mother played by Letitia Wright and Angela Bassett, at the forefront. Through their strong performances in a story about Wakanda post-T’Challa, and their journey through grief, they gave compelling performances. Bassett was even nominated for an Academy Award for her role in the film. 

Reese Witherspoon (Legally Blonde)

If you want to talk about one of the most iconic college films of all time, Legally Blonde needs to be on that list. The story is of a former fashion student, played by the lovely Reese Witherspoon, who goes to Harvard in order to win her boyfriend back. Elle Woods is the picture perfect example of when you put your mind into something and being able to achieve it – and she did that and more once she got into that school. Witherspoon's Elle was the perfect casting. 

Zoe Saldana (Avatar Films)

Let’s be honest – when it comes to the Avatar films, we all remember Neytiri more than Jake. He’s cool and all, but Neytiri. 

In both Avatar and Avatar: The Way of Water, Zoe Saldana gave an incredible performance as Neytiri, not only as a warrior but as a mother in the sequel, showing amazing emotions through a motion capture performance. 

While Zoe Saldana is known for many other amazing roles (like playing Gamora in the Guardians of the Galaxy series, and Uhura in the Star Trek franchise), showing just how much of a badass she is, there's really nothing quite as amazing as her role in these films.  

She’s right up there with Andy Serkis with these incredible motion-capture roles. You can’t help but love her. 

Michelle Yeoh (Everything Everywhere All At Once)

If you haven’t had the chance to watch the Best Picture winner, Everything, Everywhere, All at Once, I’d highly suggest watching it, if not just for Michelle Yeoh’s incredible performance. Winning the Oscar for Best Actress, Yeoh is electric in her starring role as the matriarch of this movie’s family, and displays an impressive range of emotions and badass martial arts that makes this film fantastic. Trust me when I say every bit of time viewing this movie is worth it. 

Jennifer Lawrence (The Hunger Games Series)

Jennifer Lawrence was someone that I grew up watching in The Hunger Games franchise, and while I am excited for the prequel film that will star another great young actress (Rachel Zegler), no one can defeat the powerful performance that Lawrence gave through all four movies. A revolutionary like Katniss, living in a world that is overcome with chaos and unfairness, and leading a war for freedom is the perfect example of what a reluctant leader is, even though she rocked her responsibilities at the same time. 

Scarlett Johansson (Black Widow)

You want to hear a fun story? When I saw Marvel’s Avengers with my dad, way back in 2012, when I was thirteen years old, I knew nothing about superheroes, only that most of the popular ones were male. Then I saw Black Widow (played by Scarlett Johansson) and looked up at my dad and said, “she’s a girl.”

Ever since then, my love of superheroes blossomed, but it always started with me seeing someone like me on the big screen. While I personally believe Black Widow should have happened sooner in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, there’s no denying that Johansson delivers a stellar final performance playing the role that made me love Marvel in the first place. 

Gal Gadot (Wonder Woman)

Let’s talk about another female superhero – one I did know way back when, Wonder Woman, and how Gal Gadot is literally the perfect person to play the iconic role, both in Wonder Woman and its sequel. She had the beauty of the famous character, but was able to bring a fierceness I had never seen, a bravery that made me want to go out and be as strong as her. I’ll always be upset that the chances of her continuing to play her are low now, but I enjoyed her as the hero for the time that we got her. 

Uma Thurman (Kill Bill Vol. 1 And 2)

God, do I love a vengeful woman. There’s something about watching a girl be a complete badass and take down her enemies that I adore, and both Kill Bill movies, starring Uma Thurman, are just that. While she has been in plenty of other amazing films, her as the Bride was utter perfection and I would, hands down, dress up as her for Halloween if I could. Definitely one of Quentin Tarantino’s best – and yes, I still want to see a sequel years later. 

Sigourney Weaver (Alien)

An icon among icons; you can’t have a list like this and not bring up Sigourney Weaver. Famous for her role in the sci-fi horror film, Alien, she is the blueprint for badass female action stars. Ellen Ripley is an iconic character in every shape and form, but she could only become as historic as she is now thanks to Weaver’s portrayal. She was even nominated for an Academy Award for her performance. 

Angelina Jolie (Maleficent)

Disney villains sometimes get a bad rap, but let me tell you, I never thought I would feel bad for Maleficent, who seemed to be the pure portrayal of evil in Sleeping Beauty – that was until the live-action Maleficent, where she was portrayed by Angelina Jolie. 

I swear, anything Jolie touches ends up turning to gold, but her as Maleficent did something to me. She was able to still accurately portray that viciousness that made her such a good villain in the first place, but add so much heart to the character I never thought possible, including a backstory that truly shook me. In terms of live-action Disney villain movies, you can’t get better than this.  

Sandra Bullock (Gravity)

Fun fact – Gravity is one of the only films in my life that I ever felt sort of sick while watching – because who wants to imagine spinning around in space for hours. But that doesn’t mean Sandra Bullock’s performance wasn’t amazing. Featuring the story of astronauts who are stranded in space after their shuttle is destroyed, Bullock truly shows what terror is like with her performance, and made me quite scared of space. She even got an Academy Award nomination for it. 

Carrie Fisher (The Star Wars Movies)

While we can talk about iconic Star Wars characters like Luke Skywalker or Han Solo, let’s be honest – they wouldn’t have gotten anywhere without Princess Leia, played by Carrie Fisher. Featuring an iconic performance in all three original films, as well as the sequels later on, Carrie Fisher made young girls want to travel the galaxy and be just as brave as her, as she did for me. While Natalie Portman and Daisy Ridley also brought us iconic characters like Padme and Rey, there’s no one quite like Leia. 

Julia Roberts (Pretty Woman)

Julia Roberts is a queen of rom-coms and has truly helped create some of the best movies, and one of my favorites from her is Pretty Woman. An iconic film about a sex worker getting to live a life of luxury after being hired and falling in love with a rich man, Roberts gave the performance of a lifetime and made us all believe in love – also receiving several nominations and awards for her performance in the film. 

Neve Campbell (Scream)

Scream is probably one of the most iconic horror franchises of all time and certainly one of the best horror movies ever, but what is Scream without its final girl, Sidney Prescott? Portrayed by Neve Campbell, the actress brought the character to life for five Scream films before ultimately not coming back to the role for Scream VI. However, she became many people's favorite final girl with how she always made it out alive – with a gun in her hands. 

Meryl Streep And Amanda Seyfried (Mamma Mia!)

Last but not least, we need to talk about Meryl Streep and Amanda Seyfried, both of whom are just amazing in Mamma Mia! Admittedly one of my favorite movies, these two actresses perfectly capture the relationship between a mother and daughter, while also having their own compelling storylines of finding love on a remote Greek island. You really can’t get better than them. 

These are just few performances from blockbuster movies that are led by women, and I’m sure there are some I'm missing, but if you choose to watch any of these films for any reason, you won’t be wasting your time. Every single one of them is absolutely amazing. 

A long time ago, in an entertainment industry that was about to change forever, writer and director George Lucas released his definitive magnum opus, Star Wars. Of course, after numerous sequels, numerous prequels, an infamous holiday special, multiple TV shows currently running, and countless other related media, the "fourth" chapter of this ever-expanding timeline is often referred to by the subtitle, A New Hope.

It has been 45 years since the thrilling sci-fi adventure captivated audiences, leading to box office records being broken and the development of many, many new additions the franchise -- some of which have featured the stars of the seminal 1977 hit. Speaking of the original Star Wars actors, check out this slideshow featuring some of their most recent photos below. 

May the Force be with you.

It’s been almost six years since we lost Carrie Fisher. The actress was the daughter of Debbie Reynolds and the mother of Billie Lourd, truly a legendary family of actresses. Today would be Fisher’s 66th birthday, and to honor her late mother Lourd posted a heartfelt and raw tribute to the Star Wars actress.

Lourd wrote about struggling with grief and how it’s OK to not feel OK. She sent love out to anyone who has ever experienced grief, and she posted an adorable photo of her with her mom. 

Losing someone, especially a parent is never easy. I think a lot of people, myself included, can relate to what Lourd wrote about in her caption. Her mother and grandmother were incredibly loved actresses, and now Lourd is as well, and to see her pay tribute to her family and those who are going through something similar is heartwarming. 

Along with the actress’s post, many of her famous friends commented their love for her and her mom, including Kaitlyn Dever. Lourd was part of the critically acclaimed Booksmart cast with Dever, and the two will share the screen again in one of the rom-coms on the 2022 movie schedule Ticket to Paradise. She posted:

Lily Collins also commented, pointing out how sweet and free Lourd is, just like her mom: 

It’s clear how much everyone really loves and cares about Fisher, from her Star Wars co-stars like Mark Hamill to her family members. It’s especially nice to see how meaningful her relationship was with her daughter. While Lourd has been very open about how difficult the grief of losing a parent is, she’s also been super open about her love for her mom, and just how funny Fisher was. She’s been open about the lessons she learned from her mom, both good and bad, specifically mentioning their shared sense of humor.

Lourd now has a little one of her own, and it’s clear her mother’s legacy still lives on in their family. The Booksmart actress is teaching her child the ways of the force, as she posted an adorable photo of her baby watching his grandma as Princess Leia in Star Wars with a knitted cap that resembles his grandma's fabulous buns. It's so cute to see him watching his grandma in a role that defined a generation, and gave so many girls and women such a great role model. 

It’s hard to believe it’s been almost six years since Carrie Fisher passed away. However, Lourd has made sure that her legacy lives on through her own work, and by posting about her mom's. To watch the absolutely incredible late actress in her signature role, you can check out Fisher as Leia by watching the Star Wars movies in order with a Disney+ subscription. You can also watch her equally talented daughter in Ticket to Paradise in theaters on October 21. 

Actress Billie Lourd certainly had a unique experience growing up. One can only imagine what it was like growing up as the daughter of Carrie Fisher. Based on the Carrie Fisher that we all saw in interviews, it looks like being her daughter would have been a laugh riot, and Lourd confirms that humor was important in that family.

Billie Lourd appears in the new rom-com Ticket to Paradise alongside George Clooney and Julia Roberts and she gets to show her comedic chops once again. Speaking with ABC it’s remarked that Lourd is clearly comfortable in comedy, and the actress says that being funny was basically a requirement in her household. Lourd explains…

The statement is, itself, a joke, of course, but in its own way it likely proves the point to be true. It would be difficult to imagine living in the house of Carrie Fisher and not becoming funny by pure osmosis. Everybody seems to have a funny story about Carrie Fisher. Seeing Fisher in interviews, she was always ready with a joke and could have everybody both in front of and behind the camera, in stitches.

If you., somehow, were not a funny person in the Carrie Fisher household, it probably would be a nightmare. One can imagine Carrie Fisher had plenty of jokes aimed her daughter’s way, and so the only way to defend yourself would be to learn how to throw them right back at her.

While Billie Lourd initially came to our attention the same way her mother did, through the Star Wars franchise, she has branched out since then playing all sorts of roles, but one of the most memorable was her supporting role in the comedy Booksmart, where she got to really show off her ability to be funny. 

In Ticket to Paradise, Lourd will play Wren, a friend to Kaitlyn Dever's Lily, who is planning a wedding to somebody she just met. Clooney and Roberts play Lily's divorced parents, who team up to try and stop the wedding. Where Lourd's character falls into all this is unclear, but certainly the opportunity for some solid comedy from Lourd is there. 

It’s clear that Billie Lourd and Carrie Fisher had an incredibly close relationship. Lourd has continued to honor and remember her mother via social media posts, and even comments like this one, several years after she passed away. Lourd has talked about how important her sense of humor is to her because she got it from her mother. 

There are some movie characters so iconic and so strongly tied to the actor who plays them that to recast them with anyone else would be sacrilege. Although many examples of this kind of role exist in the Star Wars universe, that has not prevented such an event to happen to its most beloved characters many times.

However, luckily, many of the Star Wars characters who have been recast have been blessed with people of tremendous talent to carry the weight -- and sometimes to even greater heights than ever before. See for yourself with our favorite examples of live-action characters from a galaxy far, far away who are credited to more than one actor, starting with one who is making a huge comeback with his own series.

Obi-Wan Kenobi (Alec Guinness, Ewan McGregor)

We first met Obi-Wan Kenobi years after the fall of the Jedi Order in the original Star Wars: A New Hope from 1977, in which he was played brilliantly by Academy Award winner Alec Guinness. Playing his younger self from padawan to master would be Ewan McGregor, whom fans would cite as one of the best reasons to watch the Prequel Trilogy and later welcome his return on the Disney+ original series Obi-Wan Kenobi with open arms.

Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher, Vivian Lyra Blair)

One of Ewan McGregor’s most impressive co-stars on Obi-Wan Kenobi is Bird Box’s “Girl” actor Vivien Lyra Blair, who gives a surprisingly entertaining and heartfelt performance as 10-year-old Leia Organa, who has been kidnapped by the Empire in order to lure the titular Jedi out of hiding. Star Wars fans are very familiar with the character, originally portrayed by the late Carrie Fisher, who portrayed Leia starting from the beginning of the Star Wars saga, up until her final performance in 2017’s The Last Jedi.

Owen Lars (Phil Brown, Joel Edgerton)

Another Star Wars prequel trilogy veteran reprising his role alongside Ewan McGregor on Obi-Wan Kenobi is Australian actor and filmmaker Joel Edgerton as Luke Skywalker’s uncle, Owen Lars. The Tatooine moisture farmer would meet a devastating end at the hands of the Empire in the 1977 original film, in which he was portrayed - opposite Mark Hamill - by Phil Brown. Brown also starred in franchises like the Superman movies and one of the Pink Panther sequels, but would always be best known as Uncle Owen.

Beru Lars (Shelagh Fraser, Bonnie Piesse)

Playing Owen Lars’ wife, Beru, was English actress Shelagh Fraser, who gives one of the most heartfelt performances in Star Wars: A New Hope despite her modest amount of screen time. Of course, Bonnie Piesse had even less screen time and less to say as a teenage Beru, but is still a memorable presence in the prequels due to the importance of her role, which is why she has also makes a return on Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Mon Mothma (Caroline Blakiston, Genevieve O’Reilly)

Another actress with a modest amount of screen time in the Prequel Trilogy (namely 2005’s Revenge of the Sith) is Genevieve O’Reilly as the future leader of the Rebel Alliance, Mon Mothma, whom she would reprise in 2016’s Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Originating the role was Caroline Blakiston, whose screen time was also quite brief in 1983’s Return of the Jedi, but still memorable and iconic enough inspire such an enduring legacy.

Boba Fett (Jeremy Bulloch, Daniel Logan, Temuera Morrison)

A character whose legendary status vastly outweighs his screen time is the mysterious bounty hunter Boba Fett, who was first physically played by the late Jeremy Bulloch in The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, and voiced by Jason Wingreen in the former movie. We met Boba as a young boy in 2002’s Attack of the Clones, as played by New Zealand-born actor Daniel Logan, and his father, Jango, played by fellow New Zealander Temuera Morrison, who would go on to assume the fan-favorite role himself on The Mandalorian and on his own Disney+ miniseries, The Book of Boba Fett. Morrison's Boba has also been heard in Empire instead of Wingreen's since the 2004 edits to the Original Trilogy.

Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader (James Earl Jones, David Prowse, Sebastian Shaw, Jake Lloyd, Hayden Christensen, Spencer Wilding)

A Star Wars veteran making, arguably, the most exciting return on the Obi-Wan Kenobi cast is Hayden Christensen as the Sith Lord formerly known as Anakin Skywalker, Darth Vader - a role he also shares on the series with James Earl Jones, who has voiced the iconic villain since the beginning. David Prowse would usually wear the suit, save when Sebastian Shaw played a reformed, unhelmeted Anakin at the end of Return of the Jedi and when Spencer Wilding donned the costume in Rogue One. Jake Lloyd played a very young, uncorrupted Anakin in 1999’s The Phantom Menace before Christensen took over the role to play him as a Padawan and, later, a Jedi Knight in the final two prequels.

Emperor Palpatine (Clive Revill, Marjorie Eaton, Ian McDiarmid)

Younger Star Wars fans likely just know Ian McDiarmid as Emperor Palpatine, but those who experienced the original trilogy in its prime remember how different Darth Vader’s boss first looked and sounded in 1980’s The Empire Strikes Back when his holographic image was physically portrayed by Marjorie Eaton and voiced by Clive Revill. The role was recast for 1983’s Return of the Jedi with McDiarmid, who went on to reprise him in the prequel trilogy and 2019’s The Rise of Skywalker and was added into the 2004 re-release of Empire.

Han Solo (Harrison Ford, Alden Ehrenreich)

To Star Wars fans of any generation, Han Solo is and always will be Harrison Ford, who was still working as a carpenter when his American Graffiti director George Lucas cast him as the captain of the Millennium Falcon in the first Star Wars. However, the Academy Award nominee himself was said to be very impressed by Alden Ehrenreich’s performance in the title role of 2018’s Solo: A Star Wars Story, which traces the outlaw’s origins from serving the Imperial Army to winning his famed ship in a poker game from another familiar face.

Lando Calrissian (Billy Dee Williams, Donald Glover)

One would assume that no one else could ever play Lando Calrissian - the mayor of the Cloud City and old friend of Han Solo (despite pronouncing his name wrong) - with as much charm and charisma as Emmy nominee Billy Dee Williams. However, Emmy and Grammy winner Donald Glover proved that was not the case by absolutely nailing his portrayal of the smuggler-turned-resistance leader while he still owned the Millennium Falcon in Solo. 

Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew, Joonas Suotamo)

Another actor who would portray a legendary original Star Wars character was Joonas Suotamo, whose tenure as Han Solo’s Wookiee friend and co-pilot, Chewbacca, began when he shared the role with its originator, the 7’3” Peter Mayhew, in 2015’s The Force Awakens. The Finnish basketball player took over the role completely for 2017’s The Last Jedi and reprised him in Solo and The Rise of Skywalker, but the first name fans still associate Chewie with is Mayhew, who sadly passed away at the age of 74 in 2019.

On second thought, there could come a day when Joonas Suotamo is celebrated for his portrayal of Chewbacca just as strongly as Peter Mayhew, just like how Ewan McGregor and Alec Guinness are equally praised for their respective performances as Obi-Wan Kenobi. In a franchise as endurable as Star Wars, a dizzying rotation of different people in the same part eventually becomes a necessity, so each actor should be held to the same fair standard. Therefore, in my book, there is not just one Lando, or one Boba Fett, or even one Han Solo (and I say that as a huge Harrison Ford fan), but a wonderful assortment of different depictions to revisit time and time again. 

It’s been almost six years since Star Wars legend Carrie Fisher died at the age of 60, and her presence in the lives of so many can still be felt by the galaxy, especially the actor’s daughter Billie Lourd. The 29-year-old Booksmart star recently got married and has shared how her late mother was honored during her big day. 

Billie Lourd and actor/producer Austen Rydell tied the knot on March 12, 2022 in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico after reportedly dating for six years. When gushing about her wedding day this week, the actress (who stood in for her mother in Rise of Skywalker) shared one aspect of the ceremony that was especially “touching.” Lourd shared that Carrie Fisher’s “two best friends” actually officiated her wedding. She said this about it: 

Having her mom's closest friends at the altar was not the only tribute to her mother either. As previously revealed by Billie Lourd, her dress was also inspired by the Princess Leia icon. Her custom off-the-shoulder Rodarte dress was designed by Kate and Laura Mulleavy, who she learned about via a 2014 interview with Carrie Fisher. Apparently, when it came time to choose a wedding dress, they were the “first people who came to mind.” 

Additionally, her shoes were actually picked out by her father Bryan Lourd because they reminded him of shoes she would wear back in the ‘90s. Lourd and Carrie Fisher got married themselves in 1991 ahead of Billie Lourd being born the following year, so it’s kind of perfect. For Billie’s “something blue,” the actress wore her mom's favorite ring, which is a blue fire opal as well. 

So while the late comedian and actress could not be there for her only child’s wedding day, she was most certainly there in spirit and had a huge influence on the choices being made by the bride. While speaking to People about her wedding at the Mujen Summer Kickoff party in LA on Wednesday, she was giddy while talking about her new husband. In her words: 

Billie Lourd and Austen Rydell are also parents to  20-month-year-old son Kingston Fisher, whom she already showed Star Wars to last May the Fourth, when he was just one years old. You can watch Lourd and Carrie Fisher in select Star Wars movies with a Disney+ subscription, as the whole collection is available to stream there.

When someone very special has passed away, you can use the memories you had with that person as a way of keeping them alive as well as the gifts they left for you. Today May 4th is Star Wars Day in which many celebrities use this opportunity to share their reactions to the momentous day. Star Wars filmmaker J.J. Abrams acknowledged this day by showing off the Princess Leia-centric gift Carrie Fisher gave him before she passed away. 

The world lost a legend when Carrie Fisher suddenly passed away in 2016. Many fans remember her as the brave and sharp-witted princess donning hair buns with a blaster in hand. J.J. Abrams was lucky to have the opportunity to work with Carrie Fisher before her death in Star Wars: The Force Awakens and Star Wars: The Last Jedi. What better way for him to celebrate Star Wars Day than by posting on Twitter a photo of the last present Carrie Fisher gave him- a Princess Leia figurine looking like the Venus de Milo. Clearly, Carrie Fisher was not without her sense of humor.

We can only imagine the loss of Carrie Fisher to be a difficult one for J.J. Abrams. It's well known that  the Star Trek director knew Carrie Fisher on and off since 1996. While we only knew her on the big screen, Abrams was privileged to know Carrie Fisher personally and professionally. Ever since Carrie Fisher’s death, J.J. Abrams has tried his hardest to honor the iconic actress's memory. For example, I’m sure Abrams could have done a better job for her tribute at the Golden Globes if he was the one who gave it by speaking more about the person Carrie Fisher was instead of solely the roles she played. 

The character of Princess Leia was about to have a bigger role in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, but she died before filming. J.J. Abrams still wanted to conclude Princess Leia’s story not through recasting or having her disappear. The Lost co-creator decided to use real footage of Fisher through deleted scenes from The Force Awakens and visual effects to change her appearance to fit in with the age she would have been in the film. It still makes me wonder how the conclusion of the new Star Wars trilogy would have been if Carrie Fisher was still alive.

There is no shortage of celebrities out there who have paid tribute to this incredible actress. On Carrie Fisher’s birthday last year, Mark Hamill paid tribute to his former co-star by sharing a throwback photo of them on Twitter calling her “a special someone who was never not fun.” A year before, Hamill, her daughter Billie Lourd, and many fans honored Carrie Fisher on social media for the anniversary of her death with kind words for “our princess.” 

J.J. Abrams, her former co-stars, and her fans will never forget the legendary impact Carrie Fisher had on the sci-fi community or the privilege of getting to know her personally. Whether she gifted us with her performances or beautiful figurines, she will always be remembered. You can currently watch Carrie Fisher’s performance in the George Lucas trilogy and the Disney trilogy on your Disney+ subscription.

Mark Hamill may have said goodbye to Luke Skywalker with the Star Wars Sequel Trilogy, but the actor still has a lot of love for the franchise. The actor frequently shares throwbacks of himself and his castmates, such as a recent Return of the Jedi throwback with the late Carrie Fisher and connecting with fans about random trivia. Now the actor is back at it again with a fun clip from the making of the original 1977 Star Wars film alongside Harrison Ford and Fisher. 

The actor took to Instagram to share a cute moment where Luke, Leia Organa, Han Solo and Chewbacca are on the Death Star in A New Hope. Check it out:  

During the classic sci-fi/fantasy movie that spawned one of the biggest movie franchises of all time, the foursome are running on the enemy ship when the crew yells cut. Right after the camera stops rolling, Mark Hamill and Harrison Ford start shouting “AND?” to find out one of the mics got caught in the frame of the shot. Ford quips “the mic was in picture” as they joke around with writer/director George Lucas. 

In Mark Hamill’s caption, he shared that he had the most fun on the Star Wars sets when he got to work with Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher at the same time. He called the throwback moment an instance when they were “all behaving like total brats” by “ganging up on George & teasing him mercilessly.” Something tells me this wasn’t the first time the mic was in the picture. Hamill said he felt like the cast’s humor would always “cheer” up George Lucas during the making of the films. 

It’s cute to see the original Star Wars trio film such an iconic moment in the franchise, and then proceed to laugh together as soon as “cut” is spoken. I don’t know about you, but I’m suddenly feeling nostalgic about the start of the beloved films. May the 4th is approaching, so might be a good time to revisit A New Hope soon. 

While all of the original trio are no longer alive within the current canon, including the late Carrie Fisher’s Leia after her tragic death in 2016 at the age of 60, Mark Hamill’s Luke Skywalker did return for The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett, but as a younger version that Hamill didn’t even need to record new lines for.

You can revisit Star Wars: A New Hope and the entire Star Wars film lineup with a Disney+ subscription. The next onscreen Star Wars project up is the Obi-Wan Kenobi series starring Ewan McGregor from the Prequel Trilogy once again as the title Jedi Master alongside Hayden Christensen’s Darth Vader. There’s many more Star Wars movies and TV shows coming down the pipeline as well. 

There are popular movie franchises, and then there’s the Star Wars movies. Entire generations were brought up on the galaxy far, far away, and the movies mean a great deal to those fans. Luke Skywalker actor Mark Hamill has continued to be the property’s biggest cheerleader over the years, and recently shared a sweet throwback video with Carrie Fisher from the set of Return of the Jedi.

Star Wars fans were devastated when the iconic Carrie Fisher passed away shortly after wrapping her role in The Last Jedi. She was able to finish Leia’s journey in The Rise of Skywalker thanks to unused scenes and some clever editing, but any old footage of the late actor-writer carries a heavy emotional weight. Now we can see her sparkling personality thanks to a throwback on Mark Hamill’s Instagram, where she’s shown working on Return of the Jedi. Check it out below,

I’m not crying, you’re crying. The original Star Wars trilogy changed the film world forever, but it was ultimately made by normal people trying their best. We can see the fun and laughs that were had on set in the above video, many of which come from Carrie Fisher’s signature quick wit. Let’s break down what we’re being shown here.

The above video from Mark Hamill shows a behind the scenes look at a few iconic settings from Star Wars: Return of the Jedi. The first is from inside Jabba’s Palace, which has once again become a major location in the franchise thanks to The Book of Boba Fett. Carrie Fisher is in her controversial slave Leia outfit, as Mark Hamill describes the stunt of falling into the Rancor pit. They make a few jokes, including a reference to the Gamorrean Guards.

The second clip comes from later in the runtime of Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, and brings Harrison Ford in on the fun. The scene comes from when the heroes are captured by the adorable Ewoks, with Ford in position to be carried upside down on a spit. We see the trio of actors running lines, and Mark Hamill being directed a bit by his co-star. Although there’s plenty of laughs shared throughout it all.

This heartwarming video shows just how much love was on the set of Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, despite the pressure to deliver a satisfying end to the original trilogy. It’s also fun to see a peek behind the curtain about how out of these out of this world movies are put together on set. After all, audiences are much more accustomed to seeing the shiny, finished product. 

Star Wars continues to expand on the small screen thanks to projects like Disney+, but the fans are definitely curious about the franchise’s future on the big screen. There’s a few projects in the early stages of development, but nothing has a shoot or release date. In the meantime, check out the 2022 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. 

Celebrity weddings are usually a glamorous affair, and Billie Lourd’s recent nuptials are no exception to that rule. But while her beachside vows were certainly romantic, she also found a sweet way to personalize her wedding dress and honor Carrie Fisher on her big day. 

When the Star Wars alum and Disneyland aficionado married Austen Rydell on Saturday, March 12, she looked stunning in a custom Rodarte gown. She happily showed off photos from the big day on her Instagram account in multiple posts – and in one, she made sure to shout out the team that helped make her dream wedding dress a reality. Take a look at the gorgeous photos here: 

While the Rodarte gown itself is undeniably breathtaking on an aesthetic level, Billie Lourd’s decision to enlist Kate and Laura Mulleavy’s help to design it carried a special meaning. She told Vogue that she discovered the designers in 2014 after they interviewed Carrie Fisher. Lourd said she’s not only a fan of their work, but she felt a “strong connection” to them because of their link to her mother. 

It’s not a surprise that Billie Lourd found a special way to carry her mom with her down the aisle – she has consistently honored her throughout the years since her death in 2016. She helped keep Carrie Fisher’s Star Wars legacy alive by standing in for her in a key Rise of Skywalker scene. And when she threw out the first pitch at the Dodger’s Star Wars night in 2018, she donned a Leia-esque hairstyle for the occasion. 

The actress has also been open about the profound impact her mother had on her life, some of which has become more meaningful after she became a mom herself. Last year, she shared the good and bad life lessons she learned about navigating her career and parenting. And she’s already making sure that the When Harry Met Sally... alum's impact lives on in her family – she commemorated last year’s May the Fourth by sharing a photo of her young son watching his grandmother in Star Wars: A New Hope. 

Even though it’s been more than five years since Carrie Fisher left us, Billie Lourd has admitted that she still struggles to define the grief she feels at her loss. It can’t have been easy to experience such a major life moment without her mother by her side, so it’s extra heartwarming to know she was able to find some connection to her on the big day. 

Now that Billie Lourd has tied the knot – and looked fabulous while doing it – she’s got some other exciting moments to look forward to. Ticket To Paradise, her movie with Julia Roberts and George Clooney, is among the 2022 new movie releases we’re looking forward to the most. 

It’s hard enough losing a loved one, in any circumstance. But when your parent was one of the most famous actors on the planet, associated with a legendary franchise set in a galaxy far, far away, contending with your grief can be extra difficult, compounded by the fact that too many people keep asking you how you are doing, even though the reality of that answer changes by the hour. Our beloved Carrie Fisher died five years ago today, December 27, and her daughter Billie Lourd took to Instagram to express her complicated feelings about the loss, while answering the question she says she always gets from fans and followers. It makes all the sense in the world. 

As Billie Lourd points out in her tribute post to her late mother, defining “grief” is nearly impossible, because it’s something different for everyone who is going through it. And the feelings that you might be having about a lost loved one on a particular day, or in a particular hour, can change drastically with the arrival of a fresh memory, or the reminder of an experience, both happy and sad. 

Carrie Fisher was only 60 years old when she died at UCLA’s medical center after becoming unresponsive on a flight back to Los Angeles following the European leg of her book tour. Perhaps contributing to the compounded grief of her mother’s death, Billie Lourd also lost her grandmother, Debbie Reynolds, the day after Carrie passed. On December 28, a distraught Reynolds reportedly said, “I want to be with Carrie,” then suffered a stroke that led to her death in Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. That’s a one-two punch of devastation that we know Billie Lourd must still be dealing with to this day. 

That’s why her description about the stages of death as an emotional meal really hit home, as she posts on social media:

Carrie Fisher’s death was deeply mourned by the Star Wars community, who looked forward to her participation in the final feature in the rejuvenated trilogy, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. It was especially sweet and tender because Fisher shared the screen with Billie Lourd in the new Star Wars films, and passed the family legacy down from one generation to the next. Billie Lourd continues to act in a mixture of film and television projects, holding down roles in the American Horror Story series. Her next major project is the romantic comedy Ticket to Paradise, which is coming out in 2022 and co-stars Kaitlyn Dever, Julia Roberts, and George Clooney.

Nearly five full years ago, the world lost Carrie Fisher, the actress who played Princess Leia Organa in the Star Wars film series, among her many other accomplishments. Naturally there was an outpouring of tributes to the late actress at the time, and they continue half a decade later. Case in point, Mark Hamill, who acted opposite Fisher as Luke Skywalker, wrote some sweet words to commemorate  her birthday.

Carrie Fisher was born on October 21, 1956, making her five years younger than Mark Hamill. To celebrate what would have been her 65th birthday, Mark Hamill shared an amusing photo on Twitter of him with Fisher back in the Original Trilogy Star Wars days:

While Luke Skywalker and Leia Organa wouldn’t learn they were siblings until Return of the Jedi, Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher shared a brother/sister-like relationship throughout their time together on the Original Trilogy, including moments where the former got rather juvenile with the latter. The above photo follows the one Hamill posted last year for Fisher’s birthday, which showed the two of them adorably touching noses. Back in February, Hamill also shared a funny story about Fisher when they were working on The Empire Strikes Back, and in June, he congratulated the late actress for getting a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Although Carrie Fisher and Mark Hamill returned for Star Wars: The Force Awakens, they didn’t cross paths on screen, with Leia instead reuniting with Harrison Ford’s Han Solo, while Luke Skywalker simply made a silent cameo at the end of the movie. Fortunately, Fisher and Hamill shared a little bit of screen time in Star Wars: The Last Jedi, with Luke Force-projecting himself to Crait and sharing some words with his sister before going outside to confront Kylo Ren. The Last Jedi was one of the last movies Fisher ever shot, with it coming out about a year after her death.

However, unused footage of Carrie Fisher from The Force Awakens was repurposed for Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, allowing Leia Organa to be involved with both the final Sequel Trilogy movie and the conclusion to the Skywalker Saga. One of Episode IX’s final shots also has Luke and Leia together as Force ghosts watching over Rey on Tatooine, which I’m sure touched Mark Hamill when he saw it. While that marked the end of both those characters’ stories, naturally there will still plenty of opportunities in the years to follow along with them in their earlier years in novels, comic book series and more.

Mark Hamill was fortunate enough to get to reprise Luke Skywalker in The Mandalorian Season 2 finale, which saw the Jedi five years after the events of Return of the Jedi arriving in nick of time to cut down some dark troopers and pick up Grogu to be properly trained in the ways of the Force. Whether Hamill will return as Luke in some other fashion down the proverbial road, or play/voice another character, remains to be seen, but as always, keep your eyes locked on CinemaBlend for the latest and greatest news concerning upcoming Star Wars movies and TV shows.

Billie Lourd is basically third generation Hollywood royalty. Her grandmother was Debbie Reynolds and her mother was Carrie Fisher. Growing up had to be a truly unique experience being raised by Carrie Fisher, and Lourd, who is now raising a child of her own, admits that she learned a lot growing up as the daughter of Carrie Fisher, though not all of it was good.

Carrie Fisher was fairly open and honest about her life, even writing about her struggles with substance abuse in books. But that doesn’t mean that growing up as Carrie Fisher’s daughter was all bad. Speaking with the New Day Podcast, Billie Lourd says that above all, she learned from her mom to look at life with a sense of humor. Lourd explains...

It perhaps says a great deal about Billie Lourd’s relationship with her mother that she sees Carrie Fisher’s statement about laughing at life as an “alcoholic’s excuse” but she makes the decision to look not at the negative connotations of that, but rather to focus on how the same idea can be used in a positive way. 

It’s clear that Billie Lourd misses her mother. We frequently see tributes to Carrie Fisher posted on Lourd’s Instagram. At the same time, the woman who is now a working actress while raising a child, admits that if her mother was still around she might not be able to do some of the work she’s been able to do. Lourd continues...

Even before Billie Lourd was a parent she was a caretaker as she needed to spend a lot of her time making sure her mother was ok. It’s possible even this helped her learn how to become a parent in her own way.

Most of us learn how to be a parent from our own parents. We find ourselves falling into the same patterns as adults that we saw our own parents in as children. We can even find ourselves saying the same words. Sometimes we can learn that what our parents did really worked, but Billie Lourd has also learned where to draw the line and do things differently...

The relationship between any parent and child is certainly a complicated one, some more so than others. It seems that, on the whole, Billie Lourd is happy with the way her own mother raised her. She clearly misses her a great deal. But Carrie Fisher may live on in some of the things Billie Lourd teaches her own child.  

The question of just what is the best attraction at Disneyland Resort is an unanswerable question. There are many different opinions on the topic and there are valid arguments to be made about many different options. It is always interesting to see just what different people think are the best attractions, just because it can tell you a lot about the person. Of course, sometimes people can be a bit biased, or at least appear that way. Such is the case with Star Wars actress Billie Lourd, the daughter of Carrie Fisher, who says Rise of the Resistance is the best ride at Disneyland, though just by a little bit.

Billie Lourd recently visited Disneyland Resort with some friends and, as you do, she posted some pictures to her Instagram. While she only posts a series of hashtags, those hashtags do spell out that she thinks Rise of the Resistance is the best ride at the park, though she also has some serious love for Soarin. Check it out.

On the one hand, it's easy to assume that Billie Lourd thinks Rise of the Resistance is the "best ride ever" simply because she was in the sequel trilogy, and is the daughter of one of the franchise's biggest stars. Of course, even if that weren't the case, it's hard to argue that Rise of the Resistance isn't an awesome attraction. It has a size and scope that is simply unmatched by other theme park attractions, Disney or otherwise. Lots of people who didn't grow up with Princess Leia as their mom think Rise of the Resistance is the best ride ever.

It's unclear if the voice being heard in the Instagram video belongs to Billie Lourd or somebody else, but somebody dropped an F-bomb in the middle of a Disney ride during Rise of the Resistance. She can be pretty easily forgiven as she's certainly not the first to be blown away by the massive AT-AT Walkers in the ride. They are incredibly impressive. It's hard not to see Rise of the Resistance at the best in the park when seeing that.

And clearly, Billie Lourd is a brilliant and right thinking woman whose opinion can be trusted, because she knows that Soarin' is also a great attraction that is still one of the best at Disneyland Resort, even with a technological marvel like Rise of the Resistance in the running. One can only assume that she would also agree that Soarin Over California is the superior version of the attraction. Soarin' Around the World is still pretty good though.

Billie Lourd looks like she had an excellent time at Disneyland Resort. Any trip that includes Rise of the Resistance, Soarin, Thunder Mountain Railroad and the Incredicoaster is a good trip. It really is the happiest place on earth.

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Hollywood and the Star Wars community were shaken by the passing of Carrie Fisher in 2016, and the loss continues to reverberate to this day. There has been a constant outpouring of love from co-stars, who, along with many fans, make tributes on the anniversary of the actor’s death in December. Harrison Ford gave a tribute to Fisher during Mark Hamill's Hollywood Star Ceremony in 2018, and now the beloved actor has finally received a Hollywood Star of her very own. In response to the news, Hamill has penned a sweet message to celebrate the occasion.

Star Wars fans are excited that Carrie Fisher is finally being recognized with a Hollywood Star. Mark Hamil celebrated the icon-making occasion via Twitter, where he congratulated his late Star Wars co-star and on-screen sibling finally being honored:

Mark Hamill congratulates Carrie Fisher and honors her in the message, saying that her “star will blaze for eternity” – adding in a cute joke about a 1-finger salute given by Fisher in an attached press tour photo. Hamill added several pictures from their relationship that started all the way back in 1977 with Star Wars: A New Hope, and also included a promotional image from their last collaboration, Star Wars: The Last Jedi. The Rian Johnson-directed film completed principal photography prior to Fisher's passing, though her death created technical difficulties in the editing process. Ultimately The Last Jedi was completed and Carrie Fisher was properly honored by the blockbuster. Archive footage and advanced visual effects were used to include Fisher in the J.J. Abrams-directed Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker, allowing Princess/General Leia Organa to have a role in the final chapter of the nine-part Skywalker Saga as well.

Mark Hamill has shared some funny stories about Carrie Fisher and their time working on Empire Strikes Back, and behind-the-scenes footage from the film has revealed some delightful clips of the actor. With so many years of history and being such an integral piece of one of the biggest movie franchises of all time, Fisher continues to live on in the minds of fans and her co-stars. To revisit Fisher's work on Star Wars, you can stream the Skywalker Saga films on Disney+, which you can sign up for using this link.

The original trio of the original Star Wars films, Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, and Carrie Fisher, now all have their Hollywood Stars. The continued impact of the original Star Wars is truly impressive, and the franchise will probably keep going for another 30 years without missing a beat. Carrie Fisher will always be such an important part of the storied sci-fi series, and now she is immortalized with a special place in Hollywood history on Hollywood Blvd.

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In the world of Star Wars, some plot points will never stop being the butt of endless jokes. And the one that started it all was the fact that before they were revealed to be brother and sister, Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia shared what would become an infamous kiss in The Empire Strikes Back. And after 41 years, even Mark Hamill himself can’t stop cracking wise about this moment that fans have never let go of.

Coincidentally, it was thanks to the 41st anniversary of The Empire Strikes Back that Hamill was even given another opportunity to raise the subject. Fellow Star Wars alum Stephen Stanton celebrated the day himself, thanks to a post that showed off a rather rare trailer for the second film in the classic trilogy. As the avid tweeter himself, Mark Hamill shared that very post on his Twitter, talking up Harrison Ford's narration, but also could help but take a jab at the polarizing kiss:

Now, before some of you in the audience start asking questions, yes, the moment from this trailer that shows off Luke and Leia’s kiss is a deleted scene. With Mark Hamill’s moon jockey definitely trying to put a move on the Alderaanian princess he’d met back in Star Wars, there was almost even more of a romantic undercurrent included in The Empire Strikes Back. Ultimately, that scene would be cut, and the finale to Luke and Leia’s “innocestuous” relationship in this film would play out in a moment of comedy gold:

So technically, we can ignore the part where Luke makes a move on Leia in this trailer for The Empire Strikes Back, as it’s debatable whether a deleted scene is canon or not. Which leaves things audiences cannot ignore in the long run: and that first thing is the fact that the kiss eventually did happen, by the hand of Carrie Fisher’s iconic Star Wars character. It’s more lighthearted, and way less shocking than it would have been originally, but it’s still something that can be discussed in light of that original trilogy apparently following the important franchise rule of “having a plan.”

However, the other thing that can’t be ignored is the fact that Harrison Ford’s voiceover in this original version of The Empire Strikes Back’s trailer is absolutely astounding. Embodying the old-timey flare that George Lucas sought to bring back to life with the Star Wars saga, Ford absolutely brings down the house with energy and salesmanship, as he sells a piece of sci-fi history as it was happening. You have to wonder if the folks in charge of giving Blade Runner a voiceover made that decision after having seen this trailer.

Even in the light of Mark Hamill’s constant jokes about certain aspects of the Star Wars legacy, it’s a saga that stands the test of time. And part of the reason it does is because of moments like this deleted scene in a rarely seen trailer that get fans and actors alike talking. Of course, the other parts of that legacy are the results of the finished films themselves, and those “other” stories that folks like Hamill will “never kiss and tell” about.

You can enjoy it all for yourself on Disney+, as the entire Star Wars saga, past and present, is available for your viewing pleasure. Should you not already be a subscriber, you can sign up using this link, which will get you access to that platform, as well as ESPN+ and Hulu as part of the bundle.

In December 2016, the world lost an icon, with Carrie Fisher passing away at the age of 60. But her legacy lives, and obviously that includes a continually-growing fanbase for her most famous character, Princess Leia Organa from the Star Wars franchise. Well, it looks like we can count Fisher’s grandson among that fanbase, as Billie Lourd, Fisher’s daughter, shared a picture of her son watching the actress’ debut as Leia. Anyone else’s eyes getting a little watery?

In 1977, moviegoers visited a galaxy far, far away for the first time, with Carrie Fisher starring alongside Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford and many more in Star Wars: A New Hope. 44 years later, Kingston Fisher has now joined the ranks of people who’ve seen Leia’s first appearance… even though it’s doubtful he’ll end up remembering this experience. Take a look at the picture Billie Lourd shared on Instagram:

Talk about introducing someone to the Star Wars franchise early! With Kingston Fisher having been born in September 2020, he’s not even a year old yet, and already he’s been exposed to the conflict between the Rebel Alliance and Galactic Empire. Again though, surely Billie Lourd will need to show her son A New Hope again in a few years for the epic story to really sink in. Still, at least Lourd used this year’s May the Fourth to introduce him to Princess Leia, one of the sci-fi genre’s most popular heroines.

It’s worth noting that Star Wars doesn’t just run in this family from Carrie Fisher’s time in the Original and Sequel trilogies. Billie Lourd has also taken part in this franchise, playing Lieutenant Kaydel Ko Connix in The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi and The Rise of Skywalker. Lourd also stood in for her mother during Episode IX’s flashback depicting Leia and Luke training after the events of Return of the Jedi. Perhaps a few decades from now, and assuming he decides to become an actor, maybe an opportunity will arise for Kingston Fisher to appear in a Star Wars movie or TV show.

For now, the Star Wars franchise has entered a new era following the conclusion of the Skywalker Saga. While there are several movies on the way, including Patty Jenkins’ Rogue Squadron and yet-to-be-revealed cinematic tale being directed by Taika Waititi, there’s a lot more to look forward to on the TV front, from premiered shows like The Mandalorian and The Bad Batch (as of today) to forthcoming shows like The Book of Boba Fett and Obi-Wan Kenobi. Combine all those projects with various video games, novels, comic books and other tie-in material, and Star Wars fans won’t have any trouble finding content to enjoy.

As always, look through our Star Wars movies and TV shows guide to get the full scope of what’s being primed in the coming years. As for Billie Lourd, she’s next set to appear in American Horror Story: Double Feature, and will also appear in the George Clooney and Julia Roberts-led movie Ticket to Paradise.

Mark Hamill has done a lot to help keep Carrie Fisher’s memory alive in the years following her death. Sometimes that means posting tributes to her on big anniversaries. Other times, it means sharing behind-the-scenes intel about what it was like making Star Wars films with her. Now, he’s shared a new memory that’s as endearing as it is hilarious.

After a Twitter account dedicated to posting vintage pictures shared a set of images of Carrie Fisher and Mark Hamill on the set of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, the actor happily retweeted it to share more context. The photos themselves are likely to spark a huge wave of nostalgia for Star Wars fans -- they offer up a lovely glimpse at what life was like for the actors behind the scenes of one of the biggest movie franchises of all time. However, his sweet explanation of the history behind them makes them even more meaningful. Take a look at his tweet below:

Even though the anecdote he shared was short, it reveals a lot about the kind of co-star Carrie Fisher was. At that point in their careers, she was a huge movie star thanks to the success of Star Wars, so it would have been easy for her to phone it in. Instead, this shows she was the type of person to stay present and support her castmates even when she wasn’t working. The tidbit about the jacket also serves as a great reminder of what a fearless, unique spirit she had, even though that would be pretty hard to forget.

Mark Hamill has been at the forefront of sharing information that adds to Carrie Fisher’s already unforgettable legacy. Last December, he shared a sweet tribute to her on the anniversary of her death -- something he’s done in previous years, too. He also commemorated her on her birthday in October, stating that “the world will never stop” missing her.

In the past few years, Mark Hamill has shared countless anecdotes about the highs and lows of their Star Wars experience -- or chimed in to share happy memories. Given that it could be easy to focus on the tragedy surrounding her untimely death, his devotion to focusing on the best parts of her life is admirable.

Of course, Mark Hamill’s social media accounts don’t just exist to honor Carrie Fisher (though there would be no shame in that if it were the case). He’s also used Twitter and Instagram to talk about important happenings in the world and also share the occasional Star Wars-themed meme. He’s also offered support to her daughter, Billie Lourd, making it clear his affection did not stop with the actress but extends down her familial line, too. It’s hard to blame him.

2021 will mark five years since Star Wars' Carrie Fisher died unexpectedly. Throughout a career that spanned over five decades, the star had appeared in many classic films such as Shampoo and Soapdish. But one role fan may have forgotten about was her cameo as a nun in 2001’s Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back. Well, franchise star and director Kevin Smith never forgot, and he recently took to social media to share a Jay and Silent Bob throwback with the late actress that's enough to get anyone emotional.

It goes without saying that Carrie Fisher still holds a place in people’s hearts. The beloved Hollywood star managed to diversify her career in the years after the original Star Wars trilogy while remaining a sought-after actress. That’s why her cameo in Jay and Silent Strike Back was important to Kevin Smith. The director recently took to Twitter to share his thoughts on Fisher while sharing a throwback photo of her in the 2001 film. Check out his sentimental tweet below:

Given the sweet memory attached to the post, Kevin Smith, like many other fans, misses seeing Carrie Fisher on film. Getting Fisher to appear in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back was a dream come true for Smith, having grown up as a huge fan of the Star Wars franchise.

What made Smith’s tweet even more bittersweet was the fact that the film will be celebrating its 20th anniversary without the late Hollywood starlet. When the celebration commences, the lack of Fisher’s presence will certainly be felt.

Released in 2001, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back featured Kevin Smith as Silent Bob, one half of the iconic duo that also features Jason Mewes' Jay. Carrie Fisher played a by-the-book nun who Jay and Silent Bob get a ride from as they try to get royalties from their comic. Fisher’s scene was memorable for its explicit entendre discourse between Jay and the nun. Her appearance in the film proved just how humble and giving she was as a Hollywood staple. She could honestly add a spark to any role, not matter how big or small it may have been.

Kevin Smith’s Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back was one of many memorable cameos Carrie Fisher made over her extensive career. Fisher popped up in films such as Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery, Scream 3, Charlie’s Angel: Full Throttle and Fanboys. Looking back at Fisher’s career, she made herself available to fans – both on-and off-screen – by taking on selective opportunities in Hollywood. Her cameo in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back was a big moment for Smith, a memory that he'll likely cherish forever.

If you want to see Carrie Fisher's cameo for yourself, you can catch Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back on Hulu, HBO Max and Prime Video.

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If there's one franchise that isn't showing any signs of slowing down, it's Star Wars. Entire generations were brought up on George Lucas' beloved space opera, and the galaxy far, far away continues to be expanded through both movies and live-cation shows on Disney+. There's no telling what Lucasfilm will do in the coming years, and now a Star Wars deepfake has imagined Stranger Things standout as Princess Leia.

Millie Bobby Brown immediately became a sensation following Season 1 of Stranger Things, and she's gone on to star in a variety of exciting film projects while continuing to play Eleven. Some fans have been hoping she might join either the MCU or Star Wars franchises, and some fans have gone so far as to add her face to footage of Carrie Fisher. And the results are surprisingly effective. Check it out below.

I mean, how cool is that? And while there's currently no plans to have a Leia series on Disney+, this deepfake might have the potential to turn some heads. And if enough fans express their approval, there's no telling what might come next.

The above video comes to us from the YouTube account called Stryder HD. The page has amassed an impressive 219k followers, and has released a number of other Star Wars deepfakes. While previous clips swap Mark Hamill and Sebastian Stan for their physical likeness, this one focuses on Princess Leia herself.

The above video features clips from all three installments of the original trilogy, starting with A New Hope and ending with Return of the Jedi. The clips definitely show how much Millie Bobby Brown looks like a young Carrie Fisher, as she looks miraculously at place upon the late actress' body. Although one strange moment happens when Leia's infamous gold bikini comes out, the rest of the clip is pretty awesome.

The Skywalker Saga is currently streaming on Disney+. You can use this link to sign up for the streaming service.

Carrie Fisher was best known for playing the iconic role of Leia throughout the Star Wars franchise, including the recent sequel trilogy. Unfortunately she passed away before filming on The Rise of Skywalker began, with unused footage used to pay tribute to both the character and Fisher herself. But could Leia end up getting her own series on Disney+ sometime in the future?

Kathleen Kennedy has been really focusing Lucasfilm's efforts on the small screen, especially thanks to the massive success of The Madalorian. Season 2 just wrapped up, and set up shows for both Ahsoka Tano and Boba Fett. Add in the previously announced shows revolving around Obi-Wan Kenobi and Cassian Andor, and there's clearly a ton of new content coming to the streaming service. We'll just have to see if a Leia show comes next.

On the big screen, the next Star Wars movie will come with Patty Jenkins' Rogue Squadron. In the meantime, check out our 2021 release list to plan your next movie experience.

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To say the last four years have flown by would be an understatement. It seems like just yesterday that it was 2016, the year we faced a lot of devastating Hollywood deaths, including Carrie Fisher’s. When she passed away on December 27th at the age of 60, she left behind countless loved ones and fans. From co-stars like Mark Hamill to family members like Billie Lourd and millions who never even met her, many took to social media today to remember her on the anniversary of her death.

Carrie Fisher’s breakout Hollywood role was as Princess Leia Organa in Star Wars. She cemented her place in cinematic history with that role and also developed several off-screen friendships that lasted the rest of her life. That, of course, included her Star Wars co-star Mark Hamill, who honored her with a short but meaningful post on Twitter:

The broken heart emoji is seriously a mood -- and a sentiment shared by Carrie Fisher’s daughter, Billie Lourd. She used a different social media platform to reflect on her mother’s death, but her post was every bit as meaningful:

Her thoughts on universal grief feel especially poignant this year. Her sadness over Carrie Fisher’s death was also shared by countless fans, who joined together under the #AlwaysWithUs hashtag on Twitter to reminisce about what the actress’ legacy means to them. One fan on Twitter shared a collage of photos of the actress during her Star Wars days as they poured out their own grief:

Many other fans shared their favorite words of wisdom from the actress. One of her most famous sentiments is a memorable quote about living life in spite of fear:

The late actress' legacy was one that had plenty of reach. As proof of just how long-lasting Carrie Fisher’s legacy will be, other fans shared personal anecdotes about what she meant to their lives:

Before Carrie Fisher passed away, she endeared herself to all those who loved her with her unforgettable combination of humor, intelligence and honesty. She talked candidly about her life in Hollywood and her struggles with addiction and mental health, which made it easier for many to be open about their own struggles.

The last role Carrie Fisher filmed footage for was, perhaps fittingly, General Leia Organa in 2017’s Star Wars: The Last Jedi. Despite this, movie magic allowed for her character to appear one last time in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.

Regardless of whether you knew Carrie Fisher from Star Wars or from other roles, or maybe even as an author, it’s impossible to deny the impact she had on several generations of fans. It probably goes without saying, but it we will be mourning her loss for years to come and celebrating the work that she gave us while she was here.

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The Star Wars franchise is one of the most beloved in film history, with entire generations of moviegoers brought up on the galaxy far, far away. But because the property means so much to the fandom, various collaborators from the franchise have faced backlash over the years. Rian Johnson's The Last Jedi is perhaps the most divisive entry of the property, but it's been more appreciated in the years since it hit theaters. And on the third anniversary of Episode VIII, the Oscar-nominated filmmaker took the time to thank the public with photos from the set-- including one of the late Carrie Fisher.

Rian Johnson made his Star Wars debut with The Last Jedi, with a story full of twists that subverted fan expectations. The filmmaker faced a ton of backlash as a result, and has spent years defending his creative choices and responding on social media. But on the third anniversary of the iconic blockbuster, Johnson took the time to thank supporters of Episode VIII, saying:

While he might have faced the Dark Side of Star Wars community, Rian Johnson still believes the fandom is the best out there. And on the third anniversary of The Last Jedi, the Knives Out director shared some private photos from his first entry into the colorful world of the galaxy. Let's break down what we're being shown here.

The above image comes to us from the personal Twitter of Rian Johnson. He regularly uses the social media outlet to communicate directly with fans, especially about his work on Star Wars: The Last Jedi. He's shut down haters, defended his choices, and continued to praise everyone involved in his Star Wars debut. And while all eyes on what he'll do with another Star Wars movie outside of the Skywalker Saga, for now we can go back to his work on Episode VIII.

The series of four photos start off with none other than the late Carrie Fisher. The beloved actress/writer is wearing Leia's full costume and hair, and interacting with her beloved dog Gary. For his part Gary went viral during the marketing of The Force Awakens, and seeing Fisher back with her furry companion is sure to warm hearts.

Star Wars: The Last Jedi is currently streaming on Disney+. You can use this link to sign up for the streaming service.

Another notable image from Rian Johnson's post shows none other than Master Yoda. Frank Oz once again reprised his role to bring the little green guy to life for The Last Jedi, who appeared to Luke as a Force Ghost in Ach-To. Fans were thrilled to see Yoda brought back via classic puppetry rather than CGI, and the image shows the inner workings of bringing him to life.

There's also a photo of both R2-D2 and C-3PO from the set of the Millennium Falcon. It's great seeing that duo back together, especially in the most iconic ship in the galaxy. Actor Anthony Daniels has spent years playing the beloved protocol droid, and it showing no signs of slowing down. We'll just have to see if 3PO factors into any future installments of the Star Wars franchise.

While Rian Johnson faced some backlash when Star Wars: The Last Jedi hit theaters, Lucasfilm was clearly happy with his work. He was given the keys to another Star Wars movie, this time disconnected from the main story. Unfortunately the timeline on this project is unclear, as Johnson is seemingly working on a Knives Out sequel first.

The Star Wars franchise continues with Season 2 of The Mandalorian, as various film projects are developed. In the meantime, check out our 2021 release list to plan your trips to the movies in the New Year.

Today Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back is widely viewed as being the best of the Star Wars films from fans. Considering it's been 40 years since the film completely changed the way that people saw Star Wars, one would think that we've seen everything there is to see about the movie and learned everything there is to learn. And yet, a collection of rare and never-before-seen footage from behind the scenes of the production was recently released giving us a fresh look at a very young Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, and especially Carrie Fisher.

The footage comes courtesy of ABC's Clayton Sandell and it's got just about everything a Star Wars fan could want. It's got hilarious outtakes of Harrison Ford flubbing his lines, it's got Mark Hamill practicing his lightsaber dueling, and it's got Carrie Fisher's smile. While there are some parts of this you've probably seen before, the vast majority is almost certainly new, even if you are a serious Star Wars fan. Check it out.

A good porting of the seven minute video is dedicated to Carrie Fisher. We see her both on and off camera, including hanging out in the snow during the filming of scenes that her character wasn't even part of. She apparently just enjoyed hanging out on the set. George Lucas talks about how important she was to the film, including how she had to show her dominance in the film since Princess Leia had to be the one in charge. This was potentially hampered by the fact that she wasn't as tall as her co-stars, but honestly, I'd never even noticed that Leia was that short, which would seem to show just how good Carrie Fisher was in her performance.

There's also a lot of discussion about just unusual and surprising Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back really was. While the film is seen as the best of the franchise by many today, that opinion wasn't as widely held at the time. Empire takes Star Wars in an entirely fresh direction doing unexpected things, rather than simply recycling itself and being more of the first movie over again. Mark Hamill himself has also seen the new footage and it brought back a lot of memories for him.

In addition to being seen as the best of Star Wars, it's probably also the most important film in the franchise. The first movie, as successful as it was, could have been a singular event. If the sequel hadn't been embraced the whole thing could have ended right there. The Empire Strikes Back helped ensure that Star Wars as a franchise would continue. And it's come a long way since then

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Since Lucasfilm was acquired by Disney, there's been a steady release of exciting new content set in the galaxy far, far away. In addition to the sequel trilogy and The Mandalorian, new ground was broken with a pair of standalone movies. This started with Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, which led directly into the events of George Lucas' original movie A New Hope. Both Peter Cushing's Grand Moff Tarkin and Carrie Fisher's Princess Leia were brought back through cutting edge visual effects, although a deepfake has possibly improved upon this work by making them both a bit more lifelike.

Disney swung hard with Rogue One, which told a new story while incorporating iconic elements of the original movies like Darth Vader himself. The visual effects used to include Grand Moff Tarkin and Leia was another big risk, one at helped to created more serialized storytelling in George Lucas' beloved universe. But there was some criticism for the final result, and a recently viral deepfake offered an alteration on the characters' appearances. Check it out below.

Pretty cool, right? The above video largely focuses on altering the appearance of Peter Cushing's Grand Moff Tarkin. He was by far the larger presence in the movie, and there's been some criticisms of the character's look in the final cut. And this new deepfake offers a gorgeous take on Tarkin's surprise resurrection.

This awesome Star Wars deepfake comes to us from the YouTube account of Shamhook. The channel specializes in epic videos of this nature, which either improve visual effects or swap out different actors in iconic roles. This time they took special focus on Rogue One, seemingly improving the visuals that were offered with resurrected characters like Grand Moff Tarkin.

The Skywalker Saga and Star Wars standalone movies are all available on Disney+. You can use this link to sign up for the streaming service.

Actor Peter Cushing played Grand Moff Tarkin in Star Wars: A New Hope, and went on to become an iconic piece of the franchise's lore. He died back in 1994 at the age of 81, although the character was given more to life through animated series. But with Rogue One taking place right before A New Hope and bringing characters like Vader back into play, Cushing's likeness was used to bring Tarkin back for the standalone movie.

The video shown above does help to improve Tarkin's look in Rogue One. Elements like color and lighting help Peter Cushing's likeness bear closer resemblance to his onscreen counterparts like Ben Mendelsohn's as Orson Krennic. While the character is still clearly a work of visual effects, it helps to sell Peter Cushing's presence in a movie filmed decades after his death.

The video also ends with a fresh take on Leia's appearance in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. She looks quite different from the way Carrie Fisher was brought back and de-aged for the movie's theatrical cut. Her eyes are higher up, and it's truly a great recreation of the late actress' appearance from back in A New Hope. In the end Fisher's legacy as Leia would come to an end through similar means, as unused footage from The Force Awakens was used to include the hero in The Rise of Skywalker.

The Star Wars franchise continues to grow with The Mandalorian on Disney+. Be sure to check out our 2021 release list to plan your trips to the movies next year.

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The Star Wars is one of the most beloved film franchises of all time, as entire generations have been brought up on the galaxy far, far away. George Lucas changed the world of film forever with his original trilogy of movies, and the story was eventually expanded with six main installments, two standalone films, and shows on Disney+. While the filmmaker's legacy is secured, he hasn't been involved in the property since Lucasfilm was acquired by Disney. And now we know what his original plans for Leia would have been-- and it sounds pretty epic.

Disney purchased Lucasfilm and its properties back in 2012, and has already recouped its $4 billion investment. George Lucas wasn't able to complete his vision for the sequel trilogy, with those creative choices eventually going to J.J. Abrams and Rian Johnson. Carrie Fisher passed away before she could film Episode IX, although Lucas' original plans for Leia Organa would have taken the beloved character on a very different journey.

A new book was just released titled Star Wars Archives (via Reddit), which revealed some of George Lucas' original plans fo the sequel trilogy, before he eventually sold Lucasfilm to the House of Mouse. The three-film sequel trilogy would have reportedly put a great deal of focus on Leia, who was going to be trying to rebuild the Galactic Republic following the fall of the Empire. This would put the forces of Light against gangsters who had taken control of the galaxy after the second Death Star was destroyed.

While it's unclear exactly how this story would have played out over the three movies, Star Wars Archives did reveal how the nine-film Skywalker Saga was going to end under George Lucas' leadership. Because at the end of the trilogy a New Republic would have been formed, with Carrie Fisher's General Leia eventually taking a leadership role in the galaxy as the new Supreme Chancellor. And it tuns out that the former Princess of Alderaan was actually the "chosen one" who would finally bring peace to the galaxy. Mind blown.

The Skywalker Saga is currently streaming in its entirety on Disney+. You can use this link to sign up for the streaming service.

Of course, Star Wars' sequel trilogy was changed greatly when it was actually developed and filmed. George Lucas' various plans didn't come to fruition, and the story instead focused on a trio of new heroes. As for Leia, she appeared all three movies, although she never rally got to lead a movie before her unexpected death in 2016.

Each installment of the sequel trilogy was set up to focus on one of the OG trio of Star Wars heroes. While The Force Awakens featured Harrison Ford's Han Solo in a meaty role, The Last Jedi zeroed in on Luke Skywalker in isolation on Ach-To. Episode IX was supposed to be this opportunity for Carrie Fisher's General Leia, although she died prior to the film's production.

Following Colin Trevorrow's departure, J.J. Abrams returned to the director's chair for The Rise of Skywalker. And with Carrie Fisher obviously unavailable to film new material, Abrams utilized unused footage from The Force Awakens to bring Leia to life, and give here an appropriate sendoff. Although learning about George Lucas' original plans for the beloved character is sure to inspire some serious FOMO from the community.

The Star Wars franchise continues to grow thanks to The Mandalorian on Disney+. In the meantime, check out our 2020 release list to plan your next movie experience.

Since the first Star Wars movie, Mark Hamill has long had a personal connection with co-star Carrie Fisher. And even after her passing, he said he still likes to think of her in the present tense. Well, today is Carrie Fisher’s birthday, and Mark Hamill honored that day with kind words and a lovely photo.

Carrie Fisher would have been 64 today. The intelligent and talented actress primarily known for playing Princess Leia in the Star Wars franchise left a powerful legacy that few will forget. To honor that, Mark Hamill took to social media to post a photo of the two together. Check it out:

Carrie Fisher was the daughter of Eddie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds, and she started acting at the age of 13. It wasn’t until the age of 19 that she scored the role of Princess Leia in Star Wars, which her life changed forever.

There, of course, she met co-star Mark Hamill, and the two hit it off right away, making their on-screen chemistry truly work. After Star Wars’ wild success, they worked together in three more Star Wars movies, with Star Wars: The Last Jedi being their last.

Perhaps one of the best parts about the latest Star Wars trilogy was getting to see Carrie Fisher play Princess Leia again and appear, however briefly, with her co-stars Harrison Ford and Mark Hamill. But she also worked with some newcomers, including Joonas Suotamo, the actor who took over as Chewbacca. Joonas Suotamo also honored Carrie Fisher’s birthday on social media:

In the past, Mark Hamill has posted similar tributes to his Star Wars co-star. Last year, on the anniversary of her death, Mark Hamill shared several photos of Carrie Fisher to honor her memory, saying, “#CarrieOnForever.” Plus, when visiting Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge for the first time, he honored both Carrie Fisher and Peter Mayhew with a touching and heartbreaking photo.

Mark Hamill's also spoken in-depth about his and Carrie Fisher's relationship and told some funny stories that involved them while on set. On one occasion, he said they got into a silly fight when they were told it would be revealed that Luke and Leia were related. Check it out:

Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher also liked to goof off on set. Mark Hamill reminisced about this last year when a fan asked him about a photo of him wearing one of her robes. He said, “She LOVED I was willing to look ridiculous!”

After Carrie Fisher's passing, the filmmakers behind Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker posthumously included her into the film, making it her last appearance as Princess Leia. At the time, Mark Hamill said he wished she was there with them, but also thought she would have approved of still being in the movie.

Happy Birthday, Carrie Fisher!

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Star Wars is one of the most popular movie franchises of all time, with entire generations of moviegoers brought up on the galaxy far, far away. The iconic cast members are therefore beloved, especially OG stars like Carrie Fisher. The late actress/writer died in December of 2016, with Rian Johnson's The Last Jedi marking her last of her work on the Star Wars franchise. The Knives Out filmmaker recently shared some photos from the set, including a polaroid of Fisher herself.

Rian Johnson's Star Wars: The Last Jedi is arguably the most divisive entry in the space opera, as the filmmaker took bold narrative choices with the sequel. Carrie Fisher filmed her role shortly before her unexpected death, and before Leia was given the spotlight in Episode IX. New photos from the set captured his moment in Fisher's life, scroll through the images to check them out for yourself.

I'm not crying, you're crying. Because in the second image from Rian Johnson's post, you can see the late Carrie Fisher on set for The Last Jedi. The beloved film icon is in black and white, and wearing her own clothes rather than General Leia's costume. Even in this previously unseen image her spirit shines through.

The above image comes to us from the personal Instagram of filmmaker Rian Johnson. He regularly uses social media to directly communicate with the fans about his time in the Star Wars franchise as well as his Oscar nominated whodunnit Knives Out. This time around he delved into his records and photos from The Last Jedi, including a valuable glimpse at Carrie Fisher herself.

Carrie Fisher's tenure in the Star Wars franchise, including The Last Jedi, is currently streaming on Disney+. You can use this link to sign up for the streaming service.

Aside from her time playing General Leia, Carrie Fisher was also known for her trademark wit and quick mouth. This made for countless delightful interviews, especially for The Force Awakens. The late actress' autobiographical work focused on her very unique experience growing up with celebrity parents, as well as her struggles with mental health and substance issues.

Through all that life threw at her, Carrie Fisher was able to provide a zinger and a much needed opportunity for laughter. The image that Rian Johnson showed the actress/writer with a devilish smile, no doubt accompanying another joke as the filmmaker snapped the photo. Unfortunately, Fisher died before being able to see the finished product of The Last Jedi in theaters.

Episode IX was meant to be focused on General Leia, as the previous movies previously did with Han and Luke respectively. Carrie Fisher's daughter Billie Lourd revealed her mother's excitement for that prospect, which unfortunately was altered after her death. Instead unused footage of Fisher from The Force Awakens was used to complete Leia's story.

CinemaBlend will keep you updated on all things Star Wars as details become public. In the meantime, check out our 2020 release list to plan your next movie experience.

It seems like we've been writing more obituaries than usual around here, so it's really quite lovely to be able to do a birth announcement instead. Yesterday, actress Billie Lourd and her fiancee Austen Rydell announced the birth of the couple's first child, the epically named Kingston Fisher Lourd Rydell. Lourd is the daughter of the late actress Carrie Fisher, and so you can be sure that one person who is very excited for the birth is her mother's dear friend and co-star Mark Hamill.

The Star Wars actor shared Billie Lourd's original Instagram post, a precious image of a pair of baby feet, with his own words of congratulations as well as compliments on the fantastic name, though he does misspell one of them.

It's so nice to see such a wholesome and heartwarming picture during a period where it feels like the whole world is falling apart. It's a simple picture that, among other things, keeps the privacy of a kid who is going to grow up in some amount of spotlight simply for being the grandchild of Princess Leia, but it's adorable. And also, he appears to be wearing space pajamas, and how perfect is that? Although, I'm pretty sure that is a moon and not a space station, but I could be wrong.

There's really no argument, that is an epic name. But it's a name that has everything. The child has the last names of both parents, but as separate names rather than a hyphenated single name, and also the middle name Fisher, obviously, a tribute to Billie Lourd's own mother, who friends, family, and fans are clearly still mourning. Why go with the standard three names when you can fave four, and as Mark Hamill says, when two of them are King and Lourd, you're clearly being set up for success.

While Billie Lourd is probably still most well known for being Carrie Fisher's daughter, she has been building her own resume in some memorable performances in recent years. In addition to her role in the newest Star Wars trilogy, where she got to perform with her mother, she has had roles in some of Ryan Murphy's television series including Scream Queens and American Horror Story. She also had a memorable supporting role in Olivia Wilde's hilarious Booksmart.

Here's to hoping that mom and baby are happy and healthy and that dad is making sure everybody is comfortable. And by the time Billie Lourd is in a position to resume her career, hopefully, film productions will be back at work to some degree and she'll be able to go back work. If nothing else, this was all well-timed as far as that goes. No reason to do anything other than spend time with family right now.