On Tuesday evening, the world learned that actress Carrie Fisher had died, following a heart attack on a flight from London to Los Angeles on Friday evening.
Despite a career spanning almost 40 years and a reputation for her ardent feminism, open dialogue on mental illness and witty reflections on the entertainment industry, the author/screenwriter will most certainly be best remembered for her role as Princess Leia in director George Lucas' film franchise, Star Wars.
At just 19-years-old, Fisher became a inspirational heroine across the world for women – and men, alike – who looked up to her character's determination, courage and grit as she took on the Death Star alongside her two male contemporaries, Han Solo and Luke Skywalker.
A damsel in distress, Leia was not.
But, what was it that clinched the coveted role for Fisher?
Here, in rare footage of the film's audition tapes, we look back at Fisher read lines with co-star Harrison Ford (Han Solo) and see exactly why Fisher will forever be our Princess.
May the force always be with you, Carrie.
Katie O'Malley is the Site Director on ELLE UK. On a daily basis you’ll find Katie managing all digital workflow, editing site, video and newsletter content, liaising with commercial and sales teams on new partnerships and deals (eg Nike, Tiffany & Co., Cartier etc), implementing new digital strategies and compiling in-depth data traffic, SEO and ecomm reports. In addition to appearing on the radio and on TV, as well as interviewing everyone from Oprah Winfrey to Rishi Sunak PM, Katie enjoys writing about lifestyle, culture, wellness, fitness, fashion, and more.
