2016 continues to take no prisoners. A few days before Christmas, actress Carrie Fisher suffered a heart attack. With the way 2016 has been with celebrity deaths, it wasn't looking well, but she was then listed in stable condition and the world breathed a collective sigh of relief. Today, however, her family released a statement that Carrie has passed away.
With her history playing Princess (General) Leia in the Star Wars universe, the outpouring of condolences and kind words hitting Twitter from celebrities like Patton Oswalt, Anna Kendrick, William Shatner, and other celebrities has not been surprising. Her Star Wars co-stars Mark Hamill and Billy Dee Williams dropped some kind words as well.
no words #Devastated pic.twitter.com/R9Xo7IBKmh
I'm deeply saddened at the news of Carrie's passing. She was a dear friend, whom I greatly respected and admired. The force is dark today!
Fuck this year. Fuck this whole sick, worthless cruel prank of a year. #RIPCarrieFisher
No. No. Fuck this shit. Carrie Fisher is a fucking legend and this is bullshit.
I'm deeply saddened to learn of the death of Carrie Fisher. I will miss our banterings. A wonderful talent & light has been extinguished.
R.I.P. Carrie Fisher. A brilliantly funny, talented woman. We will miss your humor now more than ever.
Hail Hail! A genius has vacated this realm-RIP Carrie Fisher.
I met Carrie Fisher at a premiere once. She was kind and gracious, had her daughter with her.
R.I.P. Carrie Fisher. Thank you for your brilliant writing, acting and humor. This boy's first Princess. Royal until the end. pic.twitter.com/cOYsYDw5Az
May the force be with the incredibly talented Carrie Fisher. She will be missed. #RIP pic.twitter.com/N9ZSQhKEOM
RIP Carrie. Fuck 2016. https://t.co/uO784KkKvM
Carrie Fisher dedicated her platform to mental health awareness & female empowerment. She is a reason + reminder to keep up your fight. RIP
Saddest tweets to tweet. Mommy is gone. I love you @carrieffisher
In a statement to the Hollywood Reporter Tuesday afternoon, Fisher's Star Wars co-star Harrison Ford recalled the bravery with which she lived her life. "Carrie was one-of-a-kind…brilliant, original," Ford said. "Funny and emotionally fearless. She lived her life, bravely...My thoughts are with her daughter Billie, her Mother Debbie, her brother Todd, and her many friends. We will all miss her."
Star Wars creator George Lucas praised Fisher as "feisty, wise and full of hope" in a statement. "Carrie and I have been friends most of our adult lives," he said. "She was extremely smart; a talented actress, writer, and comedienne with a very colorful personality that everyone loved."
Steven Spielberg, speaking to Entertainment Weekly, described Fisher as someone who "didn't need" The Force. "I have always stood in awe of Carrie," he said. "Her observations always made me laugh and gasp at the same time. She didn't need The Force. She was a force of nature, of loyalty, and of friendship. I will miss her very much."
Tina Fey, who worked with Fisher on her critically acclaimed NBC sitcom 30 Rock, told TIME that she had long admired Fisher's work in Star Wars and the "razor-sharp wit" of her writing. "Carrie Fisher meant a lot to me," Fey said. "Like many women my age, Princess Leia occupies about sixty percent of my brain at any given time. But Carrie's honest writing and her razor-sharp wit were an even greater gift. I feel so lucky that I got to meet her. I'm very sad she is gone."
Lucasfilm boss Kathleen Kennedy and Disney CEO Bog Iger also issued statements on Fisher's passing. "Carrie holds such a special place in the hearts of everyone at Lucasfilm it is difficult to think of a world without her," Kennedy said. "She was Princess Leia to the world but a very special friend to all of us. She had an indomitable spirit, incredible wit, and a loving heart."
Iger remembered Fisher as a "one-of-a-kind" talent with a "trademark" sense of humor. "Millions fell in love with her as the indomitable Princess Leia; she will always have a special place in the hearts of Star Wars fans as well as all of us who were lucky enough to know her personally," he said. "She will be sorely missed, and we join millions of fans and friends around the world who mourn her loss today."
Debbie Reynolds, Fisher's mother, shared a a short message on Facebook thanking fans and friends for embracing her daughter's many creative gifts:
Even her iconic dog, Gary, sent out a heartfelt tweet.
For fans of Star Wars who loved Fisher's work, know that she will be appearing in the 2017 film Star Wars: Episode VIII; principal photography for that wrapped in July of 2016. Whatever the future of Leia in the Star Wars universe is, the world has lost a true icon. Rest in peace, Carrie Fisher.
