Film legend Debbie Reynolds has died after suffering a stroke. The actress, known for the Hollywood classic "Singin' in the Rain," passed away a day after the death of her daughter, "Star Wars" actress Carrie Fisher.
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Hollywoood icon Debbie Reynolds dead at 84
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Debbie Reynolds, a leading figure in Hollywood musicals and comedies, died on Wednesday after being taken to a hospital in Los Angeles.
Reynolds (left) with her daughter Carrie FisherImage: picture-alliance/dpa/P. Buck
Fisher told celebrity news website TMZ that his mother had died as a result of a stroke.
The "Los Angeles Times" and TMZ first reported on Reynolds' hospitalization earlier in the day, saying the 84-year-old actress was rushed to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center after paramedics were called to her son's home.
Reynolds had been at her son's house to discuss her daughter's funeral arrangements, TMZ reported, citing unnamed family sources.
'Unique talent, a national treasure'
"We have lost a unique talent and a national treasure. Coming so close to the death of her daughter, Carrie Fisher, this is truly a double tragedy," Screen Actors Guild president Gabrielle Carteris said in a statement. "Their imprint on our culture is profound, and they both will live on."
On social media, fans and fellow celebrities reeled from the shock of Reynolds' sudden death, with many offering condolences to her family.
US talk show host Ellen DeGeneres tweeted: "I can't imagine what Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds' family are going through this week."
Fisher's half-sister, Joeley Fisher, posted a picture of Reynolds, writing "God speed mama" after news circulated of Reynolds' hospitalization. Joeley is the daughter of Reynolds' ex-husband, singer Eddie Fisher.
"Star Trek actor" William Shatner tweeted "It breaks my heart that she is gone," calling Reynolds "one of the last of Hollywood royalty."
Reynolds was well-known for her starring roles in classic musical films in the 1950s and 1960s, including "Singin' in the Rain." She was nominated for an Oscar for her role in 1964's "The Unsinkable Molly Brown" and helped found a group that works to combat mental health issues.
In 2015, she was awarded the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award.
Carrie Fisher passed away four days after suffering a heart attack on a transatlantic flight. She catapulted to fame as the rebel warrior Princess Leia in the original "Star Wars" franchise, and later went on to become a best-selling author and mental health advocate.
rs/cmk (AP, AFP, Reuters)
Goodbye Princess Leia: A tribute to 'Star Wars' actress Carrie Fisher
To moviegoers around the world, she is forever known as Princess Leia. But Carrie Fisher also appeared in several other cult movies, such as "Blues Brothers" and "When Harry Met Sally." DW looks back at her roles.
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Iconic role: Princess Leia
This is how we knew her, and it's how we will always remember her - as Leia Organa, leader of the rebellion against the Empire. Fisher played the role for the first time when she was just 19. In six "Star Wars" segments (including "Rogue One") she filled the role of the courageous Princess with life.
In "Shampoo" (1975) Fisher appeared on the big screen for the first time. In this comedy, she seduces Beverly Hills hairdresser George Roundy (played by Warren Beatty). "Shampoo" received one Academy Award along with several more Oscar and Golden Globe nominations. Later, Fisher decried that Beatty had asked her to act in front of the camera without a bra.
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A breakthrough: Star Wars
A mere two years later, Fisher plays Princess Leia for the first time. In "Star Wars episode IV: A New Hope" she and droid R2-D2 (pictured) try to neutralize the devastating Death Star (a moon-shaped space station). That film received a whopping six Oscars - and Carrie Fisher would be part of a highly successful ensemble cast from now on.
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Famous siblings
Carrie Fisher and Mark Hamill shared screentime in three "Star Wars" installments, playing twins Leia Organa and Luke Skywalker, respectively. Their last collaboration was "Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi," which was released in 2017. Hamill has expressed deep sadness over the loss of his colleague.
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A powerful trio: Han Solo, Leia, Luke Skywalker
Han Solo (played by Harrison Ford) is not a volunteer but is rather dragged into the mission of saving the galaxy. However, Luke, Leia and the smuggler-turned-rebel leader develop into a powerful alliance. This "Star Wars" episode also marked Harrison Ford's breakthrough in Hollywood.
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Carrie Fisher and Paul Simon
Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Fisher had an on-and-off relationship with Paul Simon (of Simon & Garfunkel fame). They were even married for two years (1983-4). Simon's song "Hearts and Bones" is a tribute to his relationship with the actress.
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New terrain
In 1980, Fisher switched from the "Star Wars" set to that of "Blues Brothers." In this legendary comedy, Fisher played the ex-girlfriend of protagonist Jake (John Belushi). She fires at him with an assault rifle for walking out on her. Allegedly, there was a cocaine bar on the set, and Fisher's job was to keep Belushi away from the drugs.
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Return of the Jedi (1983)
In several "Star Wars" segments, the droid C-3PO - a human robot - acted as Princess Leia's companion - including her imprisonment as a slave to evil Jabba the Hutt. The talkative robot was brought to life by actor Anthony Daniels.
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War against the Galactic Empire
Another member of the "Star Wars" combat team led by Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia was Chewbacca. The furry Chewie, a member of the Wookiee species, is played by Peter Mayhew, an actor who is 2,21m (over seven feet) tall. When Fisher had suffered her heart attack, Mayhew posted a tweet headlined, "Thoughts and prayers for our friend and everyone's favorite princess right now."
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"When Harry Met Sally" (1989)
1989 saw Fisher appearing in another comedy: "When Harry Met Sally." She played Marie, the best friend of heroine Sally (Meg Ryan). In the movie, she has a brief relationship with Harry (Billy Crystal) before eventually marrying his friend Jess (Bruno Kirby).
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"Episode VII: The Force Awakens" (2015)
Han Solo and Princess Leia have a son, Kylo Ren, who has deserted to the other side and become a dark warrior of the Force. She continues to lead the rebellion, including the one against the New Order. Fisher and Harrison Ford were not just close as film characters. In her autobiography, "The Princess Diarist" (2016) she mentions details of the affair they had during the 1976 filming.
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Carrie Fisher as writer
In addition to her acting career, Fisher published a total of eight books, including five novels. Lately, she published her autobiography, "The Princess Diarist" - her third memoir after "Wishful Drinking" and "Shockaholic."
Image: picture-alliance/Newscom/D. Edwards
The fight against drugs
Suffering from a bipolar disorder and drug addiction herself, Fisher kept adressing psychic illnesses and addictions. In 2016 she received a Harvard University "Lifetime Achievement Award in Cultural Humanism" for her public engagement. On 27 December, she passed away after complications arising from a massive heart attack.
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Death of an Actress
Carrie Fisher passed away on the morning of 27 December, 2016, as a result of a severe heart attack suffered a few days before. She had collapsed on a long-distance flight from London prior to touchdown in Los Angeles and had received treatment at UCLA Medical Center. According to media reports she had just finished work on the British sitcom "Catastrophe."
