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Remembering the time Carrie Fisher dealt with a question about her weight like a Jedi

'But you're so thin! Let's talk about it. How do you keep that going on?' asks the Star Wars actress

Maya Oppenheim
Wednesday 28 December 2016 11:00 GMT
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While the news of Fisher’s death has been followed by an outpouring of grief, it has also been followed by an outpouring of stories about Fisher’s unflinching humour
While the news of Fisher’s death has been followed by an outpouring of grief, it has also been followed by an outpouring of stories about Fisher’s unflinching humour

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Carrie Fisher will be remembered as far more than Princess Leia. Famed for her searing wit and fearless honesty, the Star Wars heroine’s signature humour could be summed up by her own maxim: “I think in my mouth”.

Off the big screen, Fisher often exhibited her unflinching humour. From telling Stephen Colbert that even in galaxies far away in space, women are still subject to double standards to her blistering analyses about drug addiction and mental health, there was not much Fisher would not joke about.

But there is one particular interview with Fisher that stands out and that is her appearance on Good Morning America back in 2015. Accompanied by her pet bulldog Gary, Fisher did not mince her words when the presenter Amy Robach probed her about losing weight for a role.

“You actually physically transformed for this role,” Robach asks.

“Yes I did lose weight, and I think it's a stupid conversation …” Fisher retorts quickly flipping the question on its head.

“But you're so thin! Let's talk about it. How do you keep that going on? Do you exercise every day?”

Other highlights of the interview include Fisher’s response to Robach showing her a clip of her original Star Wars audition tape and alluding to the fact Fisher had said in the past that she is not keen on her watching herself.

“I'm 19! Why wouldn't I like watching that?” Fisher said. “You like it less as you roll along. I can't say that to you,” she said, commenting on Robach’s appearance, “But people that are normal, that have other genes ... they don't like it as much.”

To the dismay and grief of her devoted legion of fans, Fisher suffered a heart attack on a flight from London to Los Angeles last week and died on Tuesday at the age of 60. While the news of Fisher’s death has been followed by an outpouring of mourning, it has also been followed by an outpouring of stories about Fisher’s razor-sharp humour.

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