Audio By Carbonatix
When news broke on December 27 that Carrie Fisher, best known as the actress who’d played Princess Leia in Star Wars, had died, staffers at the Denver Art Museum laid out two notebooks where patrons visiting its Star Wars and the Power of Costume exhibit could jot down their tributes to the actress. Visitors have been huddling over the notebooks, scrawling smiley faces, sad faces, hearts and notes about how Fisher inspired them — not just with her iconic performance in Star Wars, but with her advocacy for mental health.
Some of the notes are touching, others are endearing; a couple are bizarre. Here are 34 of our favorites.
1. “Unreal to visit the Star Wars exhibit on the day of your passing. May the force be with you always. RIP Carrie Fisher.”
2. “The original badass. You are always an inspiration and will be missed.”
3. “My first celebrity crush! You will be missed dearly. Sorry about the wrong cigarettes.”
4. “Words are hard when someone leaves this earth. Thank you for standing up for people with mental illness.”
5. “Thank you for showing that women, too, can be superheroes. You will be missed.”
6. “The first movie hero I ever wanted to be.”
7. “Drowned in moonlight. Strangled by her own bra.”
8. “You were one of the best Star Wars characters. You are now one with the force. Rest in peace.”
9. “Thank you for helping to make my childhood amazing. RIP.”
10. “Thank you for showing the world that girls can do just as much as boys can.”
11. “As Princess Leia, you were my first strong female role model, my superhero! You will be very missed, but you will serve as a strong role model for generations to come. RIP Carrie Fisher. You will always be Princess Leia.”
12. “Thank you for teaching me that princesses could rule gracefully and fight alongside their friends.”
13. “When I was a little girl, I wanted to be Princess Leia. When I became a woman, I wanted to be Carrie Fisher.”
14. “Your passing today left a void in the galaxy and my heart. One of my first loves you were. You will be missed.”
15. “Farewell to our princess. Thank you for showing the world just how powerful and strong women can be.”
16. “I will miss you Princess Leia. You were my idol.”
17. “The most important princess in the galaxy. May the force go with you.”
18. “The best princess in the whole galaxy — better than Cinderella, and that is saying a lot.”
19. “Inspirational as our princess and as a human outside of the movies. Star Wars won’t be the same without you.”
20. “To me, she’ll always be royalty.”
21. “Thank you for showing us how to fight for what we believe in your whole life long.”
22. “Thank you for everything you shared with princesses everywhere.”
23. “You will be forever in our hearts. Stay forever young.”
24. “You inspired me to get involved in mental health issues with your openness about bipolar disorder. Thank you.”
25. “Good job with your art.”
26. “Dear Carrie, Flights of angels take thee to thy final rest.”
27. “It was really cool, all the films.”
28. “You helped thousands struggling with bipolar disorder find hope and light through your books, interviews and willingness to make yourself vulnerable by speaking up about mental health and reducing stigma worldwide. Thank you for being responsible and altruistic in your power from fame.”
29. “A truly badass role model for those of us who didn’t conform. Thanks for everything.”
30. “Leia, you were cosmic.”
31. “Sorry for your loss.”
32. “Beautiful, strong and iconic. You inspired so many men, women, boys and girls. You will forever represent something pure and true. May the force be forever with you.”
33. “As a young girl, I always wanted my mom to tie my hair like yours. (She never did, and I could never figure out how it was done.) Thank you!”
34. “Most powerful Jedi. RIP and may the force be with you.”
Find out more about Star Wars and the Power of Costume here.
