R.I.P. Carrie Fisher. The 'Star Wars' actress, author and advocate dies at age 60.

She was so much more than Princess Leia.

Image: Everett Collection

Carrie Fisher wasn't just an actress. She was Hollywood royalty. The daughter of actress Debbie Reynolds and singer Eddie Fisher, she was destined for the stars. And she found them, quite literally, when at age 19 she joined the franchise that would change her life. As Princess Leia in the Star Wars films, she was no stereotypical damsel in distress. She was spunky, spirited and in charge. It turns out, the real-life Carrie was much like her counterpart. 

Today, it is with sadness that we report that Carrie Fisher passed away this morning at age 60. People confirmed the news with a statement released by Fisher's daughter, Billie Lourd. 

"She was loved by the world and she will be missed by many," Lourd says in the statment. "Our entire family thanks you for your thoughts and prayers."

Fisher suffered a heart attack aboard a flight from London to Los Angeles on Friday. Yesterday, Debbie Reynolds, 84, tweeted a message of encouragement that her daughter was in stable condition but in the ICU. 

In addition to the four times she played Princess Leia, including her most recent appearance in 2015's The Force Awakens, Fisher appeared in hit films like When Harry Met Sally, The Blues Brothers and Shampoo, and in an episode of Laverne and Shirley. She was also well regarded for her writing, including the novel Postcards From the Edge, which she based on her real-life struggles with drug addiction and mental illness. Fisher wrote the screenplay for the film version of Postcards, which starred Meryl Streep and Shirley MacLaine. She also had a secret career as a "script doctor," where she touched up the screenplays for films to improve plot and dialgoue. Some of the films she doctored include Hook, Sister Act, Lethal Weapon and The Wedding Singer.  

She was revered for her sense of humor and blunt honesty about her struggles. She also famously advocated for bipolar disorder, which she suffered from, and rehabiltation. 

Fisher was in the middle of promoting her most recent book, a memoir of published journals titled The Princess Diarist, at the time of her passing. She is survived by her 24-year-old daughter, brother Todd Fisher, mother Debbie Reynolds, half-sisters Tricia and actress Joely Fisher and her famous French bulldog, Gary. 

MeTV will pay tribute to Carrie Fisher on Sunday, January 1 at 3:30PM | 2:30C with a special presentation of the Laverne & Shirley episode, "The Playboy Show," featuring Fisher as a guest star. 

People we have lost in 2016

Carrie Fisher

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Image: Everett Collection

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ROBERT HORTON OF 'WAGON TRAIN'

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ALAN THICKE, STAR OF 'GROWING PAINS'

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JACK RILEY OF 'THE BOB NEWHART SHOW' AND 'RUGRATS'

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ANN MORGAN GUILBERT OF 'THE DICK VAN DYKE SHOW'

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RONNIE CLAIRE EDWARDS OF 'THE WALTONS'

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THERESA SALDANA FROM 'THE COMMISH'

Theresa Saldana, best known for playing the commissioner's wife on the '90s cop drama The Commish, passed away at the age of 61. READ MORE

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FRANK SINATRA, JR.

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EARL HAMNER, JR., CREATOR OF 'THE WALTONS' AND 'FALCON CREST'

Earl Hamner, Jr., best known for creating the popular television series The Waltons, passed away at the age of 92. READ MORE

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ALAN YOUNG OF 'MR. ED'

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BUCK KARTALIAN FROM 'PLANET OF THE APES'

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MICHU MESZAROS OF 'ALF'

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JOE SANTOS OF 'THE ROCKFORD FILES'

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DORIS ROBERTS, 'RAYMOND' MOM AND 'REMINGTON STEELE' STAR

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JANET WALDO, VOICE OF JUDY JETSON ON 'THE JETSONS'

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Images: center, the Everett Collection; animation, Hanna-Barbera

PETER BROWN, STAR OF 'LAWMAN,' 'LAREDO' AND SOAPS

Born Pierre Lind de Lappe in New York City, Peter Brown became a star of many genres, filling his resume with Westerns, Disney movies, exploitation flicks and soap operas in his many decades of working. READ MORE

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MADELEINE SHERWOOD, MOTHER SUPERIOR ON 'THE FLYING NUN'

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GEORGE KENNEDY, STAR OF 'COOL HAND LUKE,' 'AIRPORT' AND 'THE NAKED GUN'

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MARTIN E. BROOKS OF 'THE SIX MILLION DOLLAR MAN' AND 'HUNTER'

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SYLVIA ANDERSON, CO-CREATOR OF 'THUNDERBIRDS' AND 'SPACE: 1999'

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RICHARD DAVALOS OF 'EAST OF EDEN'

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GEORGE GAYNES OF 'POLICE ACADEMY' AND 'PUNKY BREWSTER'

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Image: The Everett Collection 

JOE ALASKEY, VOICE OF BUGS BUNNY AND DAFFY DUCK

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RET TURNER, EMMY-WINNING COSTUME DESIGNER FOR CAROL BURNETT AND CHER

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KEN HOWARD, STAR OF 'THE WHITE SHADOW'

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PAT HARRINGTON, JR. OF 'ONE DAY AT A TIME'

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GARY DUBIN, STAR OF 'THE PARTRIDGE FAMILY'

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STUART NISBET, WHO APPEARED IN (ALMOST) EVERY TV SHOW

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JAMES NOBLE OF 'BENSON'

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FYVUSH FINKEL OF 'PICKET FENCES'

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DON MARSHALL OF 'LAND OF THE GIANTS' AND 'STAR TREK'

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BERNARD FOX OF 'BEWITCHED' AND 'HOGAN'S HEROES'

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GRANT TINKER, FAMOUS TV EXECUTIVE AND CO-FOUNDER OF MTM ENTERPRISES

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  • Carrie Fisher
  • FLORENCE HENDERSON, BELOVED MOM OF 'THE BRADY BUNCH'
  • GARRY MARSHALL
  • PATTY DUKE
  • Robert Vaughn of 'The Man from U.N.C.L.E.'
  • ZSA ZSA GABOR
  • VAN WILLIAMS, STAR OF 'THE GREEN HORNET'
  • WILLIAM SCHALLERT OF 'THE PATTY DUKE SHOW'
  • EDDIE APPLEGATE OF 'THE PATTY DUKE SHOW'
  • BETH HOWLAND FROM 'ALICE'
  • MIKE MINOR OF 'PETTICOAT JUNCTION'
  • ROBERT HORTON OF 'WAGON TRAIN'
  • ALAN THICKE, STAR OF 'GROWING PAINS'
  • JACK RILEY OF 'THE BOB NEWHART SHOW' AND 'RUGRATS'
  • ANN MORGAN GUILBERT OF 'THE DICK VAN DYKE SHOW'
  • RONNIE CLAIRE EDWARDS OF 'THE WALTONS'
  • THERESA SALDANA FROM 'THE COMMISH'
  • FRANK SINATRA, JR.
  • EARL HAMNER, JR., CREATOR OF 'THE WALTONS' AND 'FALCON CREST'
  • ALAN YOUNG OF 'MR. ED'
  • BUCK KARTALIAN FROM 'PLANET OF THE APES'
  • MICHU MESZAROS OF 'ALF'
  • JOE SANTOS OF 'THE ROCKFORD FILES'
  • DORIS ROBERTS, 'RAYMOND' MOM AND 'REMINGTON STEELE' STAR
  • JANET WALDO, VOICE OF JUDY JETSON ON 'THE JETSONS'
  • PETER BROWN, STAR OF 'LAWMAN,' 'LAREDO' AND SOAPS
  • MADELEINE SHERWOOD, MOTHER SUPERIOR ON 'THE FLYING NUN'
  • GEORGE KENNEDY, STAR OF 'COOL HAND LUKE,' 'AIRPORT' AND 'THE NAKED GUN'
  • MARTIN E. BROOKS OF 'THE SIX MILLION DOLLAR MAN' AND 'HUNTER'
  • SYLVIA ANDERSON, CO-CREATOR OF 'THUNDERBIRDS' AND 'SPACE: 1999'
  • RICHARD DAVALOS OF 'EAST OF EDEN'
  • GEORGE GAYNES OF 'POLICE ACADEMY' AND 'PUNKY BREWSTER'
  • GARRY SHANDLING, COMIC AND STAR OF 'THE LARRY SANDERS SHOW'
  • JOE ALASKEY, VOICE OF BUGS BUNNY AND DAFFY DUCK
  • RET TURNER, EMMY-WINNING COSTUME DESIGNER FOR CAROL BURNETT AND CHER
  • KEN HOWARD, STAR OF 'THE WHITE SHADOW'
  • PAT HARRINGTON, JR. OF 'ONE DAY AT A TIME'
  • GARY DUBIN, STAR OF 'THE PARTRIDGE FAMILY'
  • STUART NISBET, WHO APPEARED IN (ALMOST) EVERY TV SHOW
  • JAMES NOBLE OF 'BENSON'
  • FYVUSH FINKEL OF 'PICKET FENCES'
  • DON MARSHALL OF 'LAND OF THE GIANTS' AND 'STAR TREK'
  • JOHN ZACHERLE, A.K.A.
  • MARVIN KAPLAN OF 'ALICE' AND 'TOP CAT'
  • BARRY JENNER OF 'FAMILY MATTERS' AND 'STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE'
  • HUGH O'BRIAN OF 'THE LIFE AND LEGEND OF WYATT EARP'
  • Abe Vigoda of 'Barney Miller'
  • 'BACHELOR FATHER' STAR NOREEN CORCORAN
  • DAN 'GRIZZLY ADAMS' HAGGERTY
  • BERNARD FOX OF 'BEWITCHED' AND 'HOGAN'S HEROES'
  • TAMMY GRIMES, STAR OF 'THE UNSINKABLE MOLLY BROWN' AND TV
  • GRANT TINKER, FAMOUS TV EXECUTIVE AND CO-FOUNDER OF MTM ENTERPRISES
  • Carrie Fisher
  • FLORENCE HENDERSON, BELOVED MOM OF 'THE BRADY BUNCH'
  • GARRY MARSHALL
  • PATTY DUKE
  • Robert Vaughn of 'The Man from U.N.C.L.E.'
  • ZSA ZSA GABOR
  • VAN WILLIAMS, STAR OF 'THE GREEN HORNET'
  • WILLIAM SCHALLERT OF 'THE PATTY DUKE SHOW'
  • EDDIE APPLEGATE OF 'THE PATTY DUKE SHOW'
  • BETH HOWLAND FROM 'ALICE'
  • MIKE MINOR OF 'PETTICOAT JUNCTION'
  • ROBERT HORTON OF 'WAGON TRAIN'
  • ALAN THICKE, STAR OF 'GROWING PAINS'
  • JACK RILEY OF 'THE BOB NEWHART SHOW' AND 'RUGRATS'
  • ANN MORGAN GUILBERT OF 'THE DICK VAN DYKE SHOW'
  • RONNIE CLAIRE EDWARDS OF 'THE WALTONS'
  • THERESA SALDANA FROM 'THE COMMISH'
  • FRANK SINATRA, JR.
  • EARL HAMNER, JR., CREATOR OF 'THE WALTONS' AND 'FALCON CREST'
  • ALAN YOUNG OF 'MR. ED'
  • BUCK KARTALIAN FROM 'PLANET OF THE APES'
  • MICHU MESZAROS OF 'ALF'
  • JOE SANTOS OF 'THE ROCKFORD FILES'
  • DORIS ROBERTS, 'RAYMOND' MOM AND 'REMINGTON STEELE' STAR
  • JANET WALDO, VOICE OF JUDY JETSON ON 'THE JETSONS'
  • PETER BROWN, STAR OF 'LAWMAN,' 'LAREDO' AND SOAPS
  • MADELEINE SHERWOOD, MOTHER SUPERIOR ON 'THE FLYING NUN'
  • GEORGE KENNEDY, STAR OF 'COOL HAND LUKE,' 'AIRPORT' AND 'THE NAKED GUN'
  • MARTIN E. BROOKS OF 'THE SIX MILLION DOLLAR MAN' AND 'HUNTER'
  • SYLVIA ANDERSON, CO-CREATOR OF 'THUNDERBIRDS' AND 'SPACE: 1999'
  • RICHARD DAVALOS OF 'EAST OF EDEN'
  • GEORGE GAYNES OF 'POLICE ACADEMY' AND 'PUNKY BREWSTER'
  • GARRY SHANDLING, COMIC AND STAR OF 'THE LARRY SANDERS SHOW'
  • JOE ALASKEY, VOICE OF BUGS BUNNY AND DAFFY DUCK
  • RET TURNER, EMMY-WINNING COSTUME DESIGNER FOR CAROL BURNETT AND CHER
  • KEN HOWARD, STAR OF 'THE WHITE SHADOW'
  • PAT HARRINGTON, JR. OF 'ONE DAY AT A TIME'
  • GARY DUBIN, STAR OF 'THE PARTRIDGE FAMILY'
  • STUART NISBET, WHO APPEARED IN (ALMOST) EVERY TV SHOW
  • JAMES NOBLE OF 'BENSON'
  • FYVUSH FINKEL OF 'PICKET FENCES'
  • DON MARSHALL OF 'LAND OF THE GIANTS' AND 'STAR TREK'
  • JOHN ZACHERLE, A.K.A.
  • MARVIN KAPLAN OF 'ALICE' AND 'TOP CAT'
  • BARRY JENNER OF 'FAMILY MATTERS' AND 'STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE'
  • HUGH O'BRIAN OF 'THE LIFE AND LEGEND OF WYATT EARP'
  • Abe Vigoda of 'Barney Miller'
  • 'BACHELOR FATHER' STAR NOREEN CORCORAN
  • DAN 'GRIZZLY ADAMS' HAGGERTY
  • BERNARD FOX OF 'BEWITCHED' AND 'HOGAN'S HEROES'
  • TAMMY GRIMES, STAR OF 'THE UNSINKABLE MOLLY BROWN' AND TV
  • GRANT TINKER, FAMOUS TV EXECUTIVE AND CO-FOUNDER OF MTM ENTERPRISES

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