The Real Reason Carrie Fisher Later Regretted Her Star Wars Role
The original Star Wars film was the foundation of one of the most significant cinematic legacies in history, a project that would ultimately define the career of Carrie Fisher. Despite weighing only 105 pounds at the time, a young Fisher was reportedly pressured to lose another ten pounds to secure the role.
A physical demand that was famously not extended to her male costars, Mark Hamill and Harrison Ford. She accepted the terms, however, and in doing so, she became the legendary Princess Leia Organa. Decades later, Leia remains a titan of pop culture, recognizable by her signature hairstyles and her desperate plea for help from Obi-Wan Kenobi.
While the performance turned Fisher into an international icon, it also thrust her into a level of celebrity that she had spent much of her life trying to avoid. Released in 1977, the movie became an unprecedented juggernaut, shattering box office records and spawning a global franchise that has since generated tens of billions of dollars.
Fisher eventually reprised her role in the modern trilogy, with The Force Awakens serving as her final appearance filmed during her lifetime. Even as newer franchises like the Marvel Cinematic Universe rose to dominance, Star Wars remained the gold standard for the modern blockbuster.
Yet, for Fisher, the massive financial and cultural success of the series was a source of private conflict. She admitted later in life that if she had known the sheer scale of the fame that would follow, she likely would have turned the part down.
Having grown up as the daughter of Hollywood royalty, Debbie Reynolds and Eddie Fisher, she was under no illusions about the reality of show business. She described her childhood as being privy to the man behind that curtain and seeing the less glamorous side of the great and powerful Oz.
To Fisher, the industry looked different from the inside, and she developed a deep-seated aversion to the spotlight long before she ever stepped onto a film set. She often spoke about seeing the heartbreak of celebrity up close, which fueled her desire to distance herself from the typical Hollywood trajectory.
Despite her reservations, Fisher navigated her fame with legendary wit and brutal honesty. She famously used her platform to destigmatize mental health issues, becoming a champion for those living with bipolar disorder while also establishing herself as one of the industry’s most respected writers and “script doctors.”
As of early 2026, the legacy of Carrie Fisher continues to be honored by new generations of fans and her family. Her daughter, Billie Lourd, has become a prominent actress in her own right and is currently filming the high-profile biographical drama Artificial, directed by Luca Guadagnino.
The film, which features Lourd alongside Andrew Garfield and Jason Schwartzman, explores the real-life turmoil surrounding the world of artificial intelligence. Lourd also recently celebrated the anniversary of her mother’s posthumous star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, which was placed near her grandmother Debbie Reynolds’ star in a moving tribute to the family’s history.
Fans of the Star Wars universe can also look forward to new content this spring, as the franchise expands with the animated series Maul: Shadow Lord, While Lucasfilm has remained firm in its commitment not to use digital recreations for Fisher’s likeness in future live-action films, her influence remains the backbone of the saga.
Fisher’s writing also continues to reach new audiences, with her final memoir, The Princess Diarist, remaining a consistent bestseller for those looking for a candid glimpse into the birth of a cultural phenomenon.
Do you think Carrie Fisher’s decision to be so publicly honest about her dislike for fame actually made her more beloved by the very fans she was trying to hide from? Share your thoughts in the comments.