Star Wars bosses 'pressured' Carrie Fisher to lose weight and 'leading to death'

Singer James Blunt, who was friends with Carrie Fisher, has claimed that the actress was 'pressured' to lose weight by Star Wars bosses, which led to her drug abuse and untimely death.

By Hollie Beale, Assistant Showbiz Editor

12:00, Sun, Jun 2, 2024

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James Blunt relayed a heartfelt narrative about his treasured friendship with Star Wars legend Carrie Fisher and how pressure from Hollywood bosses led to her tragic end.

The singer dwelled in Fisher's Los Angeles home whilst cutting his debut album during the 2000s, establishing what wound up being a lasting bond.

At the Hay Literary Festival, he revealed: "I just knew that the day before she died, when she came back to my house and she'd been really mistreating her body and she'd just got the job again of being Princess Leia in the new Star Wars movies."

Amidst soaring spirits and optimism, the savageness of showbiz was lurking in the shadows in the form of unrealistic body expectations.

The mounting pressure sparked Fisher's troubling drug abuse cycle once more.

The actress sadly died back in 2016

The actress sadly died back in 2016 (Image: Getty Images for US-IRELAND ALLIANCE)

Blunt added: "So she's really on a high and positive but they had applied a lot of pressure on her to be thin, which is what they do, so she spoke about the difficulties that women have in the industry, that men are allowed to grow old and women are not. #

"She had to really put a lot of pressure on herself and started abusing drugs again."

Blunt further detailed the tragic unfolding of Fisher's self-destruction due to her overwhelming drug intake, saying: "By the time she got on the plane she had practically killed herself.

"They said it was a heart failure but she had taken enough drugs to have a great party."

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She was set to reprise her role in The Force Awakens

Carrie Fisher was set to reprise her role in The Force Awakens (Image: 1977 Lucas Films)

Carrie played Princess Leia in the legendary film series

Carrie played Princess Leia in the legendary film series (Image: Corbis via Getty Images)

Carrie Fisher, the iconic Star Wars actress, tragically passed away at the age of 60 in 2016.

An autopsy report disclosed that she had a cardiac arrest on a flight from London to LA, with substances including cocaine, ecstasy, alcohol, and opiates found in her system, though it remained unclear if these contributed to her untimely death.

Her daughter, Billie Lourd, opened up to People magazine about her mother's struggles, stating: "My mom battled drug addiction and mental illness her entire life. She ultimately died of it."

Fisher herself had been vocal about the pressures of Hollywood, especially regarding her weight as Princess Leia.

In a candid chat with Good Housekeeping, Carrie Fisher revealed the demands to lose 35lbs for her return in The Force Awakens, humorously noting that the producers "didn't want to hire all of her," but rather "only about three-quarters".

She condemned the industry's superficial focus, saying it is "an appearance driven thing" and lamented the unrealistic expectations placed on actors, criticizing the emphasis on weight.

Carrie even remarked: "That is so messed up. They might as well say get younger, because that's how easy it is."