Top 10 Carrie Fisher Performances
Carrie Fisher was one of a kind. For this list,we'll only be looking at films and TV shows in which Carrie Fisher plays a character. This can include fictionalized versions of herself. However, non-fiction films such as “Wishful Drinking” will not be included. We've included her performances in films and TV shows like Princess Lei, Star Wars, When Harry Met Sally, The Blues Brothers, Shampoo, 30 Rock, Catastrophe, Family Guy, Scream 3 and Sex and the City.
#10: Herself “Sex and the City” (1998-04)
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Short and sweet, that’s the best way to describe this Carrie Fisher performance. The legendary actress had a cameo in “Sex and the City’s” third season; playing a fictional version of herself who comes home only to discover that her personal assistant – played by Vince Vaughn – and the one and only Carrie Bradshaw have just had sex in her bed. Fisher proceeds to label Bradshaw a prostitute multiple times before kicking them both out of the room. The scene’s best moment comes when Bradshaw attempts to save face by telling Fisher she’s a writer too, only for Fisher to shoot her down.
#9: Bianca Burnette “Scream 3” (2000)
Another day, another solid cameo from Carrie Fisher. This time she played Bianca Burnette, a former actress who bears an uncanny resemblance to, well, Carrie Fisher. In fact, when the film’s main characters Sidney and Gale address it, Bianca takes a shot at her former director when she laments, “I was up for Princess Leia. I was this close. So who gets it? The one who sleeps with George Lucas.” It’s a brilliant bit of self-effacing humor that Fisher herself actually had a hand in writing. While her performance in this film didn’t win her any awards, it was still funny enough to score a spot on our list!
#8: Angela “Family Guy” (1999-)
In the latter part of her career the sharp-tongued Fisher was no stranger to putting in some small screen work; so it was a match made in heaven when she landed the role of Angela on “Family Guy”. As Peter Griffin’s no-nonsense boss at the Pawtucket Brewery, she regularly berated Quahog’s resident doofus; and in one hilarious episode even attempted to seduce him! Her gruff yet stern voice was perfectly suited to the character and it goes without saying that fans will sorely miss her presence on the show.
#7: Mia Norris “Catastrophe” (2015-)
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If you thought her character on “Family Guy” pushed the envelope then get ready for a whole other level of Carrie Fisher-esque comedy. “Catastrophe’s” plot is simple enough – an American man gets a girl pregnant while visiting London and they decide to keep the baby – but boy, is the comedy unique. Nowhere is this more apparent than with Fisher’s character Mia Norris. As the male protagonist’s mother, Mia is the human equivalent of a cyclone, tearing through every scene she appears in and leaving a trail of destruction in her wake. From cussing out her Ebay competition to regularly mispronouncing her granddaughter’s name Fisher absolutely nails this performance.
#6: Rosemary Howard “30 Rock” (2006-13)
Fisher popped up in the season two episode “Rosemary’s Baby” where she played Liz Lemon’s somewhat off-kilter writing idol Rosemary Howard. The role, which saw her playing an over-the-hill writer full of controversial ideas who lives in a bad part of town and secretly drinks wine from a thermos all day, is easily one of her best. The brief but memorable performance culminates in Fisher parodying her most famous “Star Wars” line when she cries out to a fleeing Liz, “Help me Liz Lemon, you’re my only hope!” The expression “never meet your heroes” has never been more fitting.
#5: Lorna Karpf “Shampoo” (1975)
Set on the day Richard Nixon was elected president in 1968, “Shampoo” is the story of a womanizing hairdresser who’s numerous sexual dalliances finally start to catch up with him. While visiting one of his wealthier lovers our hairdresser meets Lorna, played by, you guessed it, Carrie Fisher. The role was her feature film debut and despite starring opposite Hollywood heavyweight Warren Beatty the young Fisher did a fantastic job. Her character is as straightforward as they come, asking Beatty’s character point blank within minutes of meeting him whether or not he is gay. In retrospect the performance was a telling sign of the frank honesty Fisher would become known for.
#4: Carol Peterson “The ‘Burbs” (1989)
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A dark comedy starring Tom Hanks, Bruce Dern and the late Carrie Fisher, “The ‘Burbs” is about a stressed out suburban man who begins to suspect that his new neighbors are murderers. Featuring a truly manic Hanks, the film is both a hilarious introspection into the complex world of American suburbia and an examination of just how damaging obsession can be. Fisher is great as Hanks’ concerned wife Carol, serving as the film’s voice of reason despite being surrounded by a group of eclectic men who are convinced their next-door neighbors are insane. It’s too bad they didn’t work together more often as Hanks and Fisher make for one awesome cinematic duo!
#3: Mystery Woman “The Blues Brothers” (1980)
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Her first film role after having starred in two “Star Wars” films back-to-back, “The Blues Brothers” was an opportunity for Fisher to show the world a different side of herself. She played Mystery Woman, a young lady with a penchant for smoking cigarettes and attempting to murder Jake and Elwood Blues. From rocket launchers to flame-throwers her character seemingly knew no bounds when it came to her assassination attempts. Of course, the ends almost justify the means, as by the end of the film we learn that Fisher’s Mystery Woman is actually Jake’s ex-fiancé who he left at the altar. It’s a truly hilarious performance that made us realize we should never mess with Carrie Fisher.
#2: Marie “When Harry Met Sally…” (1989)
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Arguably her most famous role outside of Princess Leia, Carrie Fisher’s performance in this film was understandably overshadowed by the performances of Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan. However, her take on Marie, Sally’s best friend who ultimately falls for Harry’s best friend, is still one of her best. Most actors will agree that a strong screenplay makes their job a whole lot easier and boy did this film have a great one! Nominated for an Academy Award and five Golden Globes, the film is often recognized as one of the best rom-coms in cinematic history. As such, Fisher’s inclusion in this legendary flick made making it our number two an easy decision. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions: April “Hannah and Her Sisters” (1986) Monica Delancy “Loverboy” (1989) Betsy Faye Sharon “Soapdish” (1991)
#1: Princess Leia The “Star Wars” Franchise (1977-)
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Like you didn’t see this coming! Without a doubt her most famous character, the role of Princess Leia would ultimately define her career. Fisher inhabited the role five times, most recent of which was in 2017’s“Star Wars: The Last Jedi”. During her time as the franchise’s preeminent space-badass, Fisher produced a plethora of iconic moments, quotes and styles. From her exchange with Han Solo prior to him being frozen in carbonate to singlehandedly taking out Jabba the Hutt, Fisher’s Princess Leia will go down as one of the most celebrated characters in the history of sci-fi. It’s a shame she left us so soon, as we could have watched her lead galactic rebellions for years!
