October 28, 2021
“I was Leia and that was all that truly mattered. I’m Leia—I can live in a tree, but you can’t take that away from me.”42However, before she could begin filming, Carrie was sent to a “fat farm” in order to lose ten pounds for the film. She later explained that, “I was awarded the part in Star Wars with the dispiriting caveat that I lose ten pounds, so for me the experience was less like, “All right! I got a job and more like, “I got a job and I hurt my ankle.” The minus 10 percent was an agent’s fee in flesh.”43 So off she went to a Texas-based fat farm where she fell under the auspicious wings of such women as former first lady Lady Bird Johnson and famous advice columnist Ann Landers. During her brief one week stay, Carrie enjoyed sharing details about Star Wars with her companions. She recalled that Lady Bird Johnson initially confused the name Star Wars with the term Car Wash while Ann Landers frequently gave her unsolicited advice over suppers of burnt looking partridge. Carrie departed the fat farm after a week-long stay. Unfortunately, she had failed to lose the required ten pounds for the film; this fact would trouble Carrie as she began shooting her scenes for Star Wars.44 Filming for Star Wars began on March 22, 1976, at Elstree Studios in London.45 Carrie was initially apprehensive about being on set because she had failed to lose the required weight for the film. With this in mind, she aimed to, “keep myself under the radar so that the powers that be wouldn’t notice that I hadn’t lost the weight they’d asked me to.”46 Despite her best efforts, however, one issue immediately thrust Carrie into the spotlight: Leia’s hairstyle. Not only would her hairstyling require her to arrive on set in the pre-dawn hours, but it also required two hours just to style correctly. The problem vexing Carrie and her hair dresser, Pat McDermott, was which hairstyle to chose from amongst the sketches given to Pat to work with as a guideline. She and Carrie searched through the proposed hairstyles, many of which astounded Carrie. She wrote in The Princess Diarist “So Pat showed me a variety of exotic looks—from Russian princesses to Swedish maids. I looked at the images slightly alarmed. There was no Lady Gaga to guide me…So image by image, we went through hairstyles that would look best when accompanied by clogs, an apron, and puffy white sleeves. A hairstyle probably sported by an Aztec Indian Chief’s daughter on her wedding day. Swirling braids, flowing tresses, and towering wigs. I would sit miserably in front of a mirror and watch while hairstyles did to my face what fun house mirrors do to yours.”47 Carrie and Pat tried each hairstyle one by one, with Carrie rejecting each in turn. “This isn’t a hairdo—it’s a hair don’t” she’d say to Pat.48 Finally, Pat and Carrie arrived at the iconic “hairy-earphone configuration” with which Carrie was still not thrilled. “It’s okay” she managed to say, “I mean I like it better than a lot of the others!…”49 Carrie was still lukewarm, so Pat explained to her that she was only trying to create a hairstyle that would please director George Lucas. “Can’t it be something…simpler? I mean, why does the hair have to be…you know…” Carrie pleaded.50 This time Pat explained that Carrie was going to be in a space film, “we can’t have you larkin’ about wearin’ what I think you call a ponytail with a fringe, can we now?”51 Carrie’s hairstyle had to be odd, so odd in fact that you’d have to travel to another galaxy to find someone who wore it. Leia’s hairstyle had to be unforgettable. Therefore, Carrie resigned herself to her hairy earphones, and she and Pat went to show George Lucas the hairstyle. The pair trekked across the set and found George conversing with first assistant director David Tomblin and producer Gary Kurtz. Carrie was presented to the group like a, “sacrificial asshole.”52 The three men discussed this new hairstyle, now the sixth they had seen adorn Carrie’s head. After some discussion, George finally asked Carrie what she thought about her unconventional hairdo. Carrie, having failed to lose the weight required of her for the film, and worried that she would be fired as a result, replied, “I love it.”53 Carrie’s time on set filming Star Wars was full of memorable moments. In one story, which she retold numerous times over the years, she had just begun filming Star Wars when George Lucas coolly informed her that she could not wear a bra under her white dress. This pronouncement piqued Carrie’s interest who replied, “Okay, I’ll bite. Why?”54 George confidently replied, “Because…there’s no underwear in space.”55 Therefore, as she had done in Shampoo two years earlier, Carrie once again had to remove her bra for a film. This time, however, Carrie used Gaffer’s tape to cover her breasts, which she later joked there would be a contest to see which crew member would remove the tape at the end of the day! When she was not fretting over her outfits and hairstyle, Carrie was busy filming scenes with her costars Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Peter Mayhew, Anthony Daniels, and Kenny Baker. In one scene that Carrie later coined the “trash compactor” scene, she, Mark, Harrison, and Peter had just escaped from Leia’s detention cell on the Death Star and landed inside a huge trash compactor full of garbage and water. The trash compactor proves to be more than meets the eye when the group is attacked by a serpent-like creature called a Dianoga. In Wishful Drinking Carrie fondly remembered how she and Mark would goof off together in between takes, “…he would pick up a little piece of rubber trash and start singing (to the tune of Chattanooga Choo-Choo).”56 Carrie also recalled how her costar accidentally popped a blood vessel in his eye during the trash compactor scene. The ruptured blood vessel affected Mark’s appearance for the remainder of filming as the fresh-faced actor now had a red dot in his eye. Carrie wrote in Wishful Drinking, “So the following day we shot our next scene—which happened to be the last scene in the movie. You know, the one where I give out all the medals? Mark had to grin like a motherfucker in that scene in order to conceal his red dot. Because, ultimately who’s going to give a medal to someone with a big, stupid red dot in their eye? I don’t care how much force is with him.”57 However, of all of her iconic scenes perhaps none was more iconic than the famous hologram scene during which Leia utters these words:
“General Kenobi, years ago, you served my father in the Clone Wars. Now he begs you to help him in his struggle against the Empire. I regret that I am unable to present my father’s request to you in person, but my ship has fallen under attack, and I’m afraid my mission to bring you to Alderaan has failed. I have placed information vital to the survival of the Rebellion into the memory systems of this R2 unit. My father will know how to retrieve it. You must see this droid safely delivered to him on Alderaan. This is our most desperate hour—help me Obi Wan Kenobi. You’re my only hope.”58When Star Wars debuted in theaters in May 1977, it became an instant hit! Carrie later wrote of Star Wars’ monumental success that, “It was one movie. It wasn’t supposed to do what it did—nothing was supposed to do that. Nothing ever had. Movies were meant to stay on the screen, flat and large and colorful, gathering you up into their sweep of story, carrying you rollicking along to the end, then releasing you back into your unchanged life. But this movie misbehaved. It leaked out of the theatre, poured off the screen, affected a lot of people so deeply that they required endless talismans and artifacts to stay connected to it.”59 With Star Wars’ success came Carrie’s own fame. Just like her mother twenty-five years earlier, Carrie became a cultural icon, recognizable the world over as Princess Leia Organa of Alderaan. However, she came to understand that she was not the famous one in her relationship with her alter ego. She wrote in the Princess Diarist that, “Besides, the Star Wars fame meant that Princess Leia was famous and not Carrie Fisher. I just happened to look like her—minus her bad hair, and plus less conspicuous bad hair all my own.”60 Thus, Carrie’s new-found fame was not really hers, but rather Princess Leia’s. Nevertheless, Carrie now found herself in a glittering world of movie stars, world premieres, and renowned directors. Unfortunately, behind this world of glittering fame Carrie was also battling a serious mental illness: Bipolar Disorder. Bipolar Disorder (BP) or Manic Depressive is a neurological disease that affects an individual’s thoughts, energy levels, and behavior as well as mood. Bipolar Disorder is characterized by intense fluctuations in these aforementioned categories. In particular, those living with Bipolar Disorder experience both manic and depressive episodes throughout the course of their lives. During Manic episodes an individual with Bipolar Disorder experiences high levels of energy, overly positive thoughts, and frantic behavior. By contrast, during a depressive episode those with the disorder experience negative thoughts, have little to no energy, and have difficulty getting tasks completed. It is important to note that while everyone experiences changes in mood, behavior, and productivity from time to time, such changes are extreme in those living with Bipolar Disorder and can lead to issues functioning on a day-to-day basis. For example, those living through a depressive episode may have trouble sleeping or sleep most of the time. They may also lose interest in activities that they usually enjoy and shun all social contacts. While doctors are unsure about the causes of Bipolar Disorder, they agree that a complex combination of genetic, biological, and environmental factors contribute to developing the illness. One indication of a genetic cause for Bipolar Disorder is that children who have a parent or sibling with BP is four to six times more likely to develop the disorder themselves. Living with Bipolar Disorder can be extremely difficult. Not only do those who live with the disease have to cope with the intense symptoms, but they also have to contend with the stigma surrounding mental illness.61 Advocates, especially prominent celebrities, such as Carrie Fisher, have helped ease the stigma of Bipolar Disorder and normalized conversations about mental illness. Carrie’s battle with Bipolar Disorder began when she was just thirteen years old. When reflecting on her daughter’s illness, Debbie Reynolds said that, “Manic Depressive is a disease. Now, that was not diagnosed then, so nobody kind of knew what was going on with Carrie. When she was thirteen, her personality changed.”62 Carrie turned to drugs in order to cope with her then undiagnosed illness. She began smoking Marijuana at the age of thirteen, but she did not stop there. Her brother Todd explained in an HBO documentary that, “Carrie and I started getting high together when we were about…I was fifteen. We used to smoke weed together, and we had a lot of fun. And then you know she moved on to other things. And I didn’t. When I would stop, she would keep going.”63 And Carrie kept going and going and going. Years after her diagnosis, when reflecting on how her mental illness contributed to her drug addiction, Carrie said that, “I knew something was the matter with me. I went too fast. I was too much. And I was embarrassed of it. The drugs I liked were painkillers. They calmed me down. I just couldn’t—I couldn’t handle it. I didn’t know what ‘it’ was.”64 The “it” of course was Bipolar Disorder. Carrie used a variety of drugs through the decades to cope with her everyday life. For decades, each day was a rollercoaster of emotions, bad ideas, and rocky relationships. Carrie gravitated between mania and depression; two moods she nicknamed Rollicking Roy and Sediment Pam. ”One mood is the meal. The next mood is the check. Sometimes the tide is in, sometimes its out,” she told Diane Sawyer in December 2000.65
Fighting her addiction and coping with her mental illness were lifelong battles for Carrie, but through it all she was never alone. When discussing the role family played in helping Carrie manage her illness, Debbie Reynolds said, “So, it’s a constant battle that takes all of us to assure her that she’s loved and that won’t get her. Hard. Yeah it’s hard. That’s the hardest part.”67 If Carrie’s illness was a curse, it also proved to be something vaguely resembling a blessing as well. Fisher’s honesty when discussing her illness and addiction helped dispel some of the stigma surrounding both issues. She also gave those struggling with substance abuse and/or mental illness someone to look up to. When accepting her Outstanding Lifetime Achievement Award from Harvard College’s Humanist Hub in 2016, Carrie said, “I’ve never been ashamed of my mental illness; It never occurred to me…Many people thank me for talking about it, and mothers can tell their kids when they are upset with the diagnosis that Princess Leia is bipolar, too.”68 Thus, Carrie’s influence reached far beyond the movie screens and glamor of Hollywood. Through her openness, honesty, and humor she invited those struggling with the burdens of mental illness, addiction, and whatever else troubled their hearts to identify with her, get to know her, and to love her. It is ironic that a woman, who began her public life with the expectation that she would one day fade into obscurity, seemed to only grow more notable as time passed. For hers was a star that never dimmed, but only shone brighter with each day she shared with us on Earth. Carrie Fisher was many things: an intergalactic princess, Hollywood royalty, a mental health advocate, an accomplished writer, a daughter, a sister, and a mother. However, above all else, she was simply Carrie. The Force will be with her, always.“I am mentally ill. I can say that.”66
bipolar disorder
Carrie Fisher
Star Wars (film)
Christopher Hohman is a senior History Major and Public History Graduate student at St. Mary’s University. He enjoys writing and researching a variety of topics and is currently working as a graduate research assistant while simultaneously working on his capstone project about women in the San Antonio Fire Service
Author Portfolio PagePaulina Gonzalez
I’ve never seen star wars I’ve always thought Carrie Fisher was an interesting person. It’s interesting to see actors that have contributed to the joy of several people have some serious struggles like an addiction. Sometimes people tend to forget that these people are more than just the iconic characters that they play. What I liked about the article is that Carrie didn’t let her problems define her and that’s very respectful.
14/11/2021
12:04 pm
Aidan Farrell
A very well done and informative article about one of the most influential actresses of our time, and possibly of all time. The article does a good job telling Carrie Fisher’s story, as she rose in the Hollywood ranks to become a living legend. She has inspired many people with her movies, and this article does a good job detailing her story. Along with a well written story, the images of this article really help the article pop, and make it even better. Overall, its a great article
16/11/2021
12:04 pm
Christopher Metta Bexar
Having reread the article it hit me even more how Carrie was forced into becoming her mother. The entertainment industry has expectations of children of major artists who decide to follow in their parent’s careers. Christopher Hohman showed this in his article. I think in some ways that Carrie must have been fortunate to have been in Star Wars, as was shown in the article. In both her case and that of Liza Minelli who this article reminded me of, having a very famous and iconic mother puts pressure upon you to perform at the highest level , even if you are not capable of it.
17/11/2021
12:04 pm
Phylisha Liscano
This was a very informative and well-written article. If I’m being honest I have never seen a single Star Wars movie, I have heard so many good things about it though. I knew of Carrie Fisher because she was Princess Leia, but I did not really know her story. It is saddening that she contributed so much to make those watching happy and because of that she fell into addiction. Great article!
17/11/2021
12:04 pm
Courtney Pena
Before reading this article, I knew of Carrie Fisher because of Star Wars. Now I know that she was a successful actress, just like her mother, and she was fighting a mental illness. I am glad to know that she was a mental health advocate and felt comfortable talking about her mental illness to others.
19/11/2021
12:04 pm
Camryn Blackmon
Overall I feel like you were able to capture Carrie Fisher’s life and personality so well through your writing and use of various interviews and personal stories from her family. I really enjoyed learning more about Fisher, especially because she quickly became so iconic, but her mental illness and other struggles are not as well known. It was super interesting to learn how Leia’s iconic hairstyle was made too.
20/11/2021
12:04 pm
Hali Garcia
I certainly learned a lot about Carrie Fisher through this article. I knew Carrie Fisher through Star Wars but I never knew that much about her life and this article taught me a lot. I really liked the introduction of the article, the organization, and the writing style because it really grabbed my attention and kept me interested until the very end. Good Job!
20/11/2021
12:04 pm
Jaedean Leija
I knew this was going to be an amazing article after I saw who wrote it. Christopher Hohman is an amazing author and I really enjoy that whatever he writes is 100% in it rather doing it half way to receive the credit. In this article he was able to tell the story of Carrie Fisher’s life from when she was a child til now with all the accomplishments she had over time and even mentioning her struggles. it was a very well written article and over time with all of her hard work it did pay off for her.
21/11/2021
12:04 pm
Daniel Matheu Baldor
I enjoyed a lot reading this article since I only knew Carrie Fisher because of Star Wars. It was a very interesting article that showed me a little bit more about her life, like her mental illness, which I did not know about them. In conclusion, I admire Carrie Fisher for the difficulties she had to pass during her life, as well as for her roll in Star Wars.
21/11/2021
12:04 pm
Christopher Metta Bexar
I had never read a biographical story on Carrie Fisher. I remember all the media frenzy around all of her Star Wars filmed ( which she luckily escaped some of by having Harrison Ford as a leadding man). Carrie Fisher had always came across as serious and genuine, and spared from the spotlight which had enveloped another child of two famous people thrust into the spotlight , Liza Minelli. I think ironically both Carrie and Liza were forced by the public to become their famous mothers whether they were ready or not.
04/11/2021
12:04 pm