Carrie Fisher Completed Work on 'Star Wars: Episode VIII' Before Her Death
By Brent Lang and Cynthia Littleton, Variety
Carrie Fisher’s death Tuesday at the age of 60 has left her involvement in a number of film and television projects unresolved. Chief among them is her ongoing role in the Star Wars franchise.
The eighth film in the series, in which Fisher appears as Leia Organa, wrapped shooting in July and is now in post-production. Sources tell Variety that Fisher’s work on the sequel was finished. That means that Disney and LucasFilm, the producers of the Star Wars series, will not have to address Fisher’s death until the ninth film begins shooting in 2018. Leia was originally slated to appear in that production.
Beyond Star Wars, Fisher was highly sought after for her on camera work and for her writing and script doctoring. Among her many projects, Fisher had a recurring role on the Amazon/Channel 4 comedy series Catastrophe, playing the caustic mother of star Rob Delaney’s character. The show’s third season is set to premiere early next year. Fisher was on a flight returning from her work on the show in London at the time she suffered a heart attack.
Catastrophe has completed filming for its third season which will air in the spring. There’s no word yet on how the show will handle Fisher’s character in upcoming seasons. Co-creator and star Sharon Horgan said Tuesday on Instagram: “She was the most generous, fun, gifted, smart, kind, funny funny funny person I’ve ever met. She certainly wasn’t ready to go. I’m so glad we became pals. I’m so devastated at her loss. I want to write about her more but I can’t process yet.”
Related: Carrie Fisher’s Life and Career in Photos
Fisher was also supposed to film a role in the film Wonderwell, which IMDB writes is a fantastical story set in the world of fashion. Director Vlad Marsavin did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the status of Fisher’s work.
Fisher had a recurring role on Fox’s Family Guy as the voice of Angela, the boss at the brewery where Seth MacFarlane’s Peter Griffin works. She most recently appeared in an episode from last season that first aired Jan. 3. It’s not clear if she had wrapped work on any additional episodes before her death.
A new documentary, Bright Lights: Starring Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds, will screen at the upcoming Palm Springs Film Festival and air on HBO in March.
Related: Hollywood Mourns the Loss of Its Princess Leia, ‘Star Wars’ Actress Carrie Fisher
In the aftermath of Fisher’s death this week, tributes flowed in from across the entertainment landscape. Co-stars such as Mark Hamill and Whoopi Goldberg, as well as Hollywood icons such as Steven Spielberg paid tribute to her sense of humor, her screen talent, and her legacy as a survivor of addiction and mental illness.
Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy said it was difficult to imagine a world without Fisher, praising her as a barrier breaker.
“She was Princess Leia to the world but a very special friend to all of us,” she said. “She had an indomitable spirit, incredible wit, and a loving heart. Carrie also defined the female hero of our age over a generation ago. Her groundbreaking role as Princess Leia served as an inspiration of power and confidence for young girls everywhere.”
Daniel Holloway and Justin Kroll contributed to this report.
