Star Wars actor Carrie Fisher dies at 60

Carrie Fisher, who rose to fame as Princess Leia in the Star Wars films and later endured drug addiction and stormy romances with show business heavyweights, died on Tuesday, People magazine reported, citing the family’s publicist.

“It is with a very deep sadness that Billie Lourd confirms that her beloved mother Carrie Fisher passed away at 8:55 this morning,” the statement from family spokesman Simon Halls read. Carrie was 60 years old.

“She was loved by the world and she will be missed profoundly. Our entire family thanks you for your thoughts and prayers,” it added.

Carrie was taken ill on a flight from London to Los Angeles on December 23.

Tributes have poured in for the actor, who went on to appear in three Star Wars sequels including 2015’s seventh film in the franchise, The Force Awakens.

Star Trek actor William Shatner tweeted: “I’m deeply saddened to learn of the death of Carrie Fisher. I will miss our banterings. A wonderful talent & light has been extinguished.”

Fisher had appeared to be stable in hospital in California following her medical episode on a United Airlines flight on Friday.

Her mother Debbie Reynolds tweeted on Christmas Day: “Carrie is in stable condition. If there is a change, we will share it.

For all her fans & friends. I thank you for your prayers & good wishes.”
Carrie is survived by her daughter Billie, 24.

The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.