Actress Carrie Fischer never shied away from the camera. She was open, resilient, and willing to tell her story. But there might be some facts fans of the Star Wars actress might not know, such as being a bookworm or that her biggest wish was to have a normal childhood.
Keep reading because there are interesting facts about Hollywood's space princess no one will want to miss.
A High School And College Drop-Out
When Carrie Fisher was only 16-years-old, she landed a minor role in the Broadway play Irene, opposite her mother. Fisher's time in show business interfered with her education, so she decided to drop out of high school.
She was later accepted into Sarah Lawrence College. Planning on studying the arts, Fisher wound up leaving without graduating.
Dan Aykroyd Saved Her Life
Dan Aykroyd and Carrie Fisher met on the set of The Blues Brothers and soon began dating. Unfortunately, one day, Fisher began choking on brussels sprouts! Aykroyd saved the day, performing the Heimlich maneuver.
After saving the actress, Aykroyd actually proposed! According to Fisher, she thought, "Wow, what if that happens again? I should probably marry him."
Fisher Forgot About Her Romance With Harrison Ford
One of the worst-kept behind-the-scenes secrets from Star Wars was the romance between Carrie Fisher and Harrison Ford. Ironically, many years later, Fisher admitted that she totally forgot about the entire affair.
In her memoir, The Princess Diarist, Fisher said she only remembered the off-screen relationship because she stumbled upon some of her old journals.
"The Bookworm" And A Writer At Heart
Growing up, Carrie Fisher threw herself into literature. She was a total book lover and even earned the nickname "the bookworm." During her youth, Fisher loved to read classic literature and write poetry.
However, she did not decide on a career in publishing. Instead, she followed her mother's footsteps into the world of acting.
She Was Scared To Stand Up To George Lucas
When Carrie Fisher got the part of Princess Leia in Star Wars, there was something about the character's style she didn't like -- Leia's iconic double-bun hairstyle.
The thing is, Fisher never told George Lucas or spoke up about disliking the hairstyle for fear of getting fired from the film.
A Sought-After Script Doctor
One of Carrie Fisher's loves in life was writing. In fact, she utilized her skills in Hollywood as a script doctor. Many writers would ask Fisher to come in and polish up their work.
She actually wound up working on some big-name blockbuster films, including Hook, Sister Act, and even the Star Wars prequels. Even though Fisher was a script doctor for about 15 years, most of her work went uncredited.
She Called Her Mother "Tsu-Mommy"
Growing up, Carrie Fisher had an unusual nickname for her famous mother, Debbie Reynolds. A well-known actor full of life and tenacity, Fisher used to call her mother "tsu-mommy."
While it might seem like a back-handed compliment of a name, it was actually in honor of her mother's fierce personality.
She Didn't Think Star Wars Wasn't Going To Be A Popular Film
Carrie Fisher is arguably best known for her role as Princess Leia in the Star Wars franchise. The thing is, according to her brother, Todd, she didn't think the movie was going to make it big.
In fact, during an HBO documentary, Todd said his sister thought the script was "cheesy" and nothing more than a "B movie."
Fisher Beat Out Well-Known Actresses For The Role Of Leia
While it might be difficult to imagine anyone else sporting the iconic Princess Leia side buns, Carrie Fisher was actually up against some well-known talent. Some actresses vying for the now-famous role were Farrah Fawcett, Sigourney Weaver, and even Meryl Streep.
The latter actually wound up starring in the film adaptation of Fisher's novel, Postcards from the Edge.
Daisy Ridley Received Great Advice
When Carrie Fisher was on the set of the original Star Wars trilogy, she was afraid to stand her ground and tell George Lucas how she felt about certain aspects of her character, namely the iconic hair buns and gold bikini.
Co-starring with Daisy Ridley for the sequel trilogy, Fisher made sure to tell the young actress to stand up for herself and not to do anything that would make her feel uncomfortable.
She Was Neighbors With Her Mother
There was a whole lot of love between Carrie Fisher and her famous mother, Debbie Reynolds. According to the younger actress, the two of them were absolutely best friends.
The two of them even went as far as being neighbors for many years, sharing the same lot in Los Angeles, California.
Her Biggest Wish Was A Normal Childhood
Growing up wasn't easy for Carrie Fisher. She was the daughter of Debbie Reynolds and Eddie Fisher, pretty much Hollywood royalty. From a young age, Fisher was thrown into the public eye.
Sadly, her biggest wish was to have nothing more than a normal childhood. Her wish was never granted.
Fisher Never Thought She Was A Great Actress
Carrie Fisher appeared in numerous films throughout her career. Even across various genres, people never thought Fisher was a lackluster actor. As it so happens, the Star Wars actress disagreed with her fans.
Amazingly, Fisher never actually thought she was a good actress, namely due to her strange British-American accent.
Gary, Her Emotional Support French Bulldog
During the last few years of Carrie Fisher's life, she got an emotional support animal, a French Bulldog named Gary. The little guy would eventually make his way to TV talk show couches as a co-guest and be seen with Fisher everywhere.
Gary was left in the care of Fisher's daughter, Billie Lourd.
She Would Take Back Princess Leia, If Possible
The role of Princess Leia in the Star Wars franchise is arguably what shot Carrie Fisher into Hollywood stardom. For fans, it is pretty much impossible to imagine the films without her.
Amazingly, Fisher once said she would take back the role if she could. She never wanted the amount of fame the role brought.
A Huge advocate For Mental Health
It is no secret that Carrie Fisher struggled with her mental health over the years. She was diagnosed with bipolar disorder when she was in her 20s. From there, she became a huge advocate for mental health awareness.
In 2016, Harvard awarded Fisher with its Annual Outstanding Lifetime Achievement Award in Cultural Humanism, stating that "her forthright activism and outspokenness about addiction, mental illness, and agnosticism have advanced public discourse on these issues; with creativity and empathy."
She Was James Blunt's Therapist
In 2003, James Blunt was working on his album Back to Bedlam. While working, he actually spent most of his time at Carrie Fisher's residence. They didn't have a relationship, but Fisher did become his therapist.
During an interview with Vanity Fair, Fisher said, "I did become his therapist. He was a soldier. This boy has seen awful stuff. Every time James hears fireworks or anything like that, his heart beats faster, and he gets 'fight or flight.'"
Even With Her Fame, Fisher Only Won Three Awards
Carrie Fisher worked on numerous projects, including films, comedy sketches, and even novels. Even though she was very talented, Fisher only won three awards during her career, one being posthumous.
She won A Saturn Award, a posthumous Grammy Award for Best Spoken Album, and a Teen Choice Award for Choice Fantasy Actress.
George Lucas Didn't Allow Her To Wear Undergarments
While filming Star Wars, George Lucas did not allow Carrie Fisher to wear undergarments underneath her Princess Leia costume. Needless to say, she was not a fan.
According to Lucas, "There's no underwear in space — you go into space, and you become weightless. Then your body expands, but your bra doesn't, so you get strangled by your own underwear."
A Lighthearted Feud With William Shatner
It is no secret that Star Trek and Star Wars fans have a bit of a rivalry. Well, as it so happens, that rivalry extends to the casts of each franchise, too.
Apparently, William Shatner, aka Captain Kirk, bashed Star Wars and Carrie Fisher had no choice but to retaliate. She hit back at Shatner, saying her Leia buns were superior to Mr. Spock's ears.
