New Orleans Shows Us Exactly How We Should Bid Farewell to Carrie Fisher
A group calling itself the Intergalactic Krewe of Chewbacchus held a parade on Friday in New Orleans in memory of Star Wars actress Carrie Fisher.
“This is a public demonstration of our love for Princess Leia,” said Brooke Ethridge, one of the founders of the Leijorettes, a dance group that dons the white robes and hair buns of Fisher’s iconic character, in an interview with the New York Daily News, “Our first instinct was to hit the streets and parade and celebrate Princess Leia and Carrie Fisher.”
Fisher passed away earlier this week at the age of 60 after suffering a massive heart attack while traveling by plane from London to Los Angeles.
Fisher’s mother, Hollywood legend Debbie Reynolds, suffered a stroke and also passed away within a day of her daughter’s death. A joint funeral for the two women has been announced.
Hundreds of people in costumes marched in the streets alongside Star Wars-themed parade floats. Many women in attendance wore Princess Leia’s instantly recognizable costume (and hairstyle) from 1977’s Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope.
Fisher is remembered as not only the fiery galactic heroine but also a passionate mental health advocate. In life she suffered from bipolar disorder and a long struggle with substance abuse.
Fisher was also the author of autobiographical fiction and nonfiction that explored her struggles, in titles like Postcards From the Edge and Wishful Drinking. She also was a successful Hollywood script doctor.
