Carrie Fisher hired to play Princess Leia in Star Wars

As the offspring of Hollywood royalty — Oscar-nominee Debbie Reynolds and Golden Globe winner Eddie Fisher — Carrie Fisher seemed destined to play the role of Princess Leia in the first Star Wars movie, which was released in 1977. Although she only had one small role in a movie on her resumé at the time, Carrie, just 19 when filming began, performed the role of the strong young royal to perfection.