DEBBIE REYNOLDS & CARRIE FISHER
How the Hollywood legends continue to inspire their family two years after their tragic deaths.
It was a dual tragedy: Carrie Fisher died at 60 of a heart attack on Dec. 27, 2016, and her mother, Debbie Reynolds, passed away from a stroke at 84 the next day. “I do miss them both tremendously,” says Todd Fisher, Debbie’s son and Carrie’s brother. “At the same time, I have so much left behind by them both, and so many great memories.”
Fans will be able to enjoy some of those mementos soon. “We have a lot of her artifacts and a lot of things of hers that she’s written that will someday be shared,” says Todd of his sister, who built on her career as an actress (Star Wars) by becoming a bestselling novelist (Postcards From the Edge). “There’s a lot more to come from Carrie.”
That includes a final appearance as Leia in the ninth Star Wars movie, set for release in December 2019. “There’s a lot of minutes of footage,” says Todd. “This is unused, new content that could be woven into the storyline. That’s what’s going to give everybody such a great kick. It’s going to look like it was meant to be. Like it was shot yesterday.”
AN UNSINKABLE DUO
Carrie’s daughter, Billie Lourd, paid tribute to her mom on the anniversary of her death by posting a video. "I decided to do something we both loved to do together — sing,” said Billie, 26, who performed the tune “These Days,” made famous by Nico in 1967. “As the song says, we must ‘keep on moving.’ I hope this encourages everyone who’s feeling a little low or lost to ‘keep on moving.’ ”
As for Todd, “Every day, I remember ‘my girls’ and try to help keep their memories alive,” he says. “There is not a day that goes by that I do not think of them. They frequently visit me in my dreams. They send their love, as they always did in life.”
TWO YEARS AFTER THEIR SHOCKING DEATHS, THE SHOWBIZ LEGENDS STILL INSPIRE THEIR LOVED ONES
“I don’t want my life to imitate art. I want my life to
be art.”
— Carrie