The American actress, best-selling author and screenwriter -- who suffered from numerous addictions and later turned that into writing gold -- was a member of Hollywood royalty, both on screen and off.
Born in Los Angeles in October 1956, the daughter of actress Debbie Reynolds and singer Eddie Fisher became an international star overnight with the release of ''Star Wars" in 1977.
Leia was the tough rebel princess in a white dress with a strange hairdo and blaster guns, who was unafraid to stare down the villainous Darth Vader.
Six years later in "Return of the Jedi," she became a sex symbol in a barely-there metal bikini -- but remained the tough heroine, killing her slug-like gangster jailer Jabba the Hutt by choking him with the chain he used to hold her captive.
The blockbuster space saga is now part of pop culture legend and a worldwide fan favorite. Fisher was back in the spotlight after reprising her iconic role in 2015's "Star Wars: The Force Awakens."
She was returning Friday from the London leg of a tour promoting her headline-grabbing memoir "The Princess Diarist" when she collapsed 15 minutes before landing in Los Angeles, where paramedics and hospital staff were unable to revive her.
"It is with a very deep sadness that Billie Lourd confirms that her beloved mother Carrie Fisher passed away at 8:55 this morning," family spokesman Simon Halls said in a statement to AFP on behalf of Fisher's daughter.
Tributes began pouring in soon after news of her death spread on social media, led by "Star Wars" co-star Mark Hamill -- Luke Skywalker in the saga -- who said he was "devastated" and had "no words."
"Star Wars" creator George Lucas called Fisher "extremely smart; a talented actress, writer and comedienne with a very colorful personality that everyone loved."
"In 'Star Wars' she was our great and powerful princess -- feisty, wise and full of hope in a role that was more difficult than most people think," he added.
Legendary filmmaker Steven Spielberg described her as "a force of nature, of loyalty and of friendship" while Walt Disney Company chief Bob Iger said she was "a true character who shared her talent and her truth with us all."
