Actress and author Carrie Fisher, who suffered a heart attack Friday aboard a flight from London to Los Angeles, died Tuesday at age 60, according to a family spokesperson.
“It is with a very deep sadness that Billie Lourd confirms that her beloved mother Carrie Fisher passed away at 8:55 this morning,” the statement read.
“She was loved by the world and she will be missed profoundly,” Lourd said. “Our entire family thanks you for your thoughts and prayers.”
Fisher, who is famed for portraying Princess Leia in the classic “Star Wars” film series, was reportedly unresponsive during the last 20 minutes of the 11-hour flight on Friday and was removed from the plane by paramedics at LAX and hospitalized.
Fisher, the daughter of legendary Hollywood star Debbie Reynolds and the late singer Eddie Fisher, suffered a “massive heart attack” on the flight, and several passengers performed CPR on her.
Fisher had been at UCLA Medical Center’s intensive care unit.
Reactions from other Hollywood stars quickly began flooding Twitter after the news broke:
— Billy Dee Williams: “I’m deeply saddened at the news of Carrie’s passing. She was a dear friend, whom I greatly respected and admired. The force is dark today!”
— Whoopi Goldberg said Fisher “was funnier & smarter than anyone had the right to be. Sail On Silver Girl.”
— Albert Brooks: “R.I.P. Carrie Fisher. A brilliantly funny, talented woman. We will miss your humor now more than ever.”
— William Shatner: “I’m deeply saddened to learn of the death of Carrie Fisher. I will miss our banterings. A wonderful talent & light has been extinguished.”
— Mia Farrow: “Oh no!! Carrie wasn’t done yet! Carrie was brilliant, funny and talented.”
— Joan Collins: “My heart goes out to Debbie Reynolds on the death of Carrie her talented daughter. There have been too many deaths this year.”
— “Hamilton” star Lin-Manuel Miranda sent his condolences to Reynolds: “Please know the entire world is sending you all the love we have.”
Fisher reprised her role as Princess Leia in the 2015 film “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.” She pioneered the character in the original “Star Wars” trilogy, the first film of which was released in 1977.
Fisher had been touring to promote her latest book, “The Princess Diarist.” She was also in London filming episodes for the Amazon Prime series “Catastrophe” where she played the mother of one of the characters.
The actress was briefly married to singer Paul Simon in the 1980s. Her 24-year-old daughter, Billie Catherine Lourd, was fathered by talent agent Bryan Lourd.
Fisher openly discussed her struggles with cocaine and prescription medication abuse, memorialized in her memoir, “Wishful Drinking,” which was adapted from her one-woman stage play of the same name.
She authored eight books, but her latest, “The Princess Diarist,” made headlines when it was released in November for its disclosure that she had an affair with then-married actor Harrison Ford during filming of the original “Star Wars.”
In addition to “Star Wars,” Fisher has appeared in such films as “The Blues Brothers,” “The Man with One Red Shoe,” “Hannah and Her Sisters,” “The ‘Burbs,” “When Harry Met Sally,” “Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle” and “Fanboys.”
Fisher also lent her voice to the animated series, “Family Guy,” voicing Peter Griffin’s brewery boss, Angela.
