There have been a large number of celebrities that have died this year. People that I have admired for a large portion of my life but none have hit me as hard as Carrie Fisher.
Princess Leia was the first strong, female character that I really connected with. She was brave in the face of torture. She fought with all of her heart for everything she believed in. She ended up rescuing the men who came to rescue her.
She was sassy and outspoken and didn't take anything from anybody. I fully believe that Carrie Fisher was the full reason that Leia was who she was. The script was a small part of that, Carrie's portrayal really brought her to life.
I remember how excited I was when I found out her birthday was the day after mine. Almost exactly 22 years apart.
Then there was Soapdish.
"I'm Lori Craven and I'm an actress"
"I'm Betsy Faye Sharon and I'm a bitch."
I fell in love with her character right then and there. And she really did live up to that statement.
Carrie helped fix the scripts to some of my most favorite movies. I don't know what they were like before she got her hands on them but after they were pure gold.
Yes, she lived a hard life, but she was a brilliant, talented woman.
I remember tracking down and reading all of her books when I was in high school. Back in the mid 90's that wasn't as easy as logging on to amazon and ordering them. Surrender the Pink is my favorite but they were all absolutely wonderful.
Carrie Fisher made an impact on my life like no other. She's always going to be one of my favorite people.
My heart goes out to her family but especially to Debbie Reynolds. No one should ever have to outlive their child.
Rest in Peace, Carrie. You will be missed.
