Sheila Weller is the author of the new biography, Carrie Fisher: A Life on the Edge.From her Q&A with Deborah Kalb:
Q: Why did you decide to write a biography of Carrie Fisher, and how would you describe her legacy today?--Marshal Zeringue
A: I love to write about distinctive, iconic, complex women – I have a kind of history of that – and Carrie Fisher was about as iconic as iconic and complex as they come.
I was always aware of her charisma – the famous Carrie-Penny parties! – and I loved her book Postcards From The Edge.
When she died, so tragically (and with Debbie dying right afterward), in late December 2016, her role as a feminist heroine hiding in plain sight came into focus, by way of all the tributes. You realize sometimes that you “knew” something about someone deep in your subconscious, even when you didn’t.
Then came the Women’s Marches – and posters of Princess Leia and Carrie were hoisted high. Her significance was unmistakable.
In addition, I grew up in Beverly Hills and “Hollywood” – a bit older than Carrie, but I knew that world well.
My uncle owned the famous Sunset Strip nightclub, Ciro’s, where her mother, as a budding young star, learned to be “sophisticated.” My mother was...[read on]