Stars Wars fans in Los Angeles react to the death of Carrie Fisher

Record ID: 162481

  • Title: Stars Wars fans in Los Angeles react to the death of Carrie Fisher
  • Date: 27th December 2016
  • Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (English) TOURIST FROM THE UK, LUKE DAWSON, SAYING: "I was devastated, absolutely devastated. It was a complete shock, I heard that she was on the mend so, I mean, she was a big part of my childhood as well as many others. I always grew up with Star Wars, I remember my dad getting me into it and she was just a great person in general." MORE OF DARTH VADER AND STORM TROOPER ON HOLLYWOOD BLVD.
  • Embargoed: 11th January 2017 21:50
  • Keywords: Los Angeles Carrie Fisher Reax
  • Location: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES
  • City: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: Arts/Culture/Entertainment,Film
  • Reuters ID: LVA0035ENZ3NR
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Carrie Fisher, who rose to fame as Princess Leia in the "Star Wars" films and later endured drug addiction before going on to tell her story as a best-selling author, died on Tuesday (December 27) aged 60.
    Fisher, a mental health advocate who spoke about her own struggles with bipolar disorder and cocaine addiction, had suffered a heart attack on Friday, December 23, as she flew into Los Angeles.
    The daughter of actor Debbie Reynolds and the late singer Eddie Fisher had been returning from England where she was shooting the third season of the British sitcom "Catastrophe."
    On Hollywood Boulevard, movie fans paid tribute to Fisher, who became a household name after staring in the "Star Wars" movies.
    "Yeah, many people, a lot of people are sad and they actually want to take photos with us in remembrance of Carrie and you know one thing we know for sure, the force is with you Carrie. We love you," said one unidentified man who was impersonating Star Wars character Obi Wan Kenobi.
    "She was a huge star, 'Star Wars' was an amazing film, she was an amazing part of it and it's a great loss that she's died so young," said British tourist Lee Scott.
    Fisher was met by paramedics and rushed to the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center after suffering the heart attack during the flight on Friday.
    She made headlines last month when she disclosed that she had a three-month love affair with her "Star Wars" co-star Harrison Ford 40 years ago.
    Fisher revealed the secret to People magazine while promoting her new memoir, "The Princess Diarist," just before it went on sale. The book is based on Fisher's diaries from her time working on the first "Star Wars" movie.
    Harrison said in a statement Fisher was funny, emotionally fearless and one-of-a-kind. "She lived her life, bravely...We will all miss her."
    Fisher said the affair started and ended in 1976 during production on the blockbuster sci-fi adventure in which she first appeared as the intrepid Princess Leia. Ford played the maverick space pilot Han Solo.
    "I think it's really sad. I thought too that she was getting better in the hospital after she had a heart attack so it feels really sad, year. It's a big loss," said tourist Melody Silveira from Boston.
    "I was devastated, absolutely devastated. It was a complete shock, I heard that she was on the mend so, I mean, she was a big part of my childhood as well as many others. I always grew up with Star Wars, I remember my dad getting me into it and she was just a great person in general," added Luke Dawson, a tourist from the U.K.
    Fisher reprised the role in two "Star Wars" sequels. She gained sex symbol status in 1983's "Return of the Jedi" when her Leia character wore a metallic gold bikini while enslaved by the diabolical Jabba the Hutt.
    She returned last year in Disney's reboot of the "Star Wars" franchise, "The Force Awakens," appearing as the more matronly General Leia Organa, leader of the Resistance movement fighting the evil First Order.
    Filming was completed in July on Fisher's next appearance as Leia in "Star Wars: Episode VIII," which is set to reach theaters in December 2017.
    Fisher's Princess Leia makes a surprise appearance at the end of "Rogue One," the latest blockbuster, which opened this month, in the "Star Wars" series.
    Shortly after news of her death was made public, her dog Gary, who has his own Twitter account, said goodbye: "Saddest tweets to tweet. Mommy is gone. I love you @carrieffisher."
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