Biography of Carrie Fisher

The daughter of show-biz couple Debbie Reynolds and Eddie Fisher, Carrie Fisher has been a compelling force in the film industry since her 1975 feature debut opposite Warren Beatty in "Shampoo." But it was her role of Princess Leia in the box office extravaganza "Star Wars" and the sequels "The Empire Strikes Back" and "Return of the Jedi" that propelled her into the international limelight and made her a cultural icon. Her other acting credits include "The Blues Brothers," "Garbo Talks," "The Man with One Red Shoe," "Hannah and Her Sisters," "The Burbs," "This Is My Life," "When Harry Met Sally," and "Austin Powers." Her most recent film appearances include roles in "Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back," "Heartbreakers," and "Scream 3."

An accomplished writer, Fisher became a sensation with her New York Times bestselling novel, Postcards from the Edge, a semi-autobiographical novel about an actress dealing with both drug rehabilitation and an alcoholic, attention-hungry mother. Postcards earned her the Los Angeles Pen Award for "Best First Novel," and she followed that success with two more bestselling novels, Surrender the Pink, a fictional account of her relationship with her ex-husband, singer-songwriter Paul Simon, and Delusions of Grandma. She has written two screenplays based on her bestsellers Postcards from the Edge and Surrender the Pink.

Fisher has also gained a reputation as one of the most sought-after "script doctors" in Hollywood, working uncredited on several projects, including the 1997 Academy Awards show. Currently, she is working on her fourth novel, as well as developing a television series for Universal and two new film comedies at Walt Disney and Working Title Pictures.