Carrie Fisher, who rose to fame as Star Wars‘ Princess Leia Organa, has died after suffering a heart attack at the age of 60.
The actress and writer had been taken off a plane from London to Los Angeles on Friday, Dec. 23, when she went into cardiac arrest. Paramedics removed her from the flight and rushed her to a nearby hospital, where she was initially said to be in stable condition. She passed away December 27 and her family spokesman Simon Halls released a statement to PEOPLE on behalf of Fisher’s daughter, Billie Lourd:
“It is with a very deep sadness that Billie Lourd confirms that her beloved mother Carrie Fisher passed away at 8:55 this morning,” reads the statement. “She was loved by the world and she will be missed profoundly,” says Lourd. “Our entire family thanks you for your thoughts and prayers.”
Carrie Fisher: More than just Princess Leia
While Fisher was beloved around the world for her signature role she actually spent most of her career as a writer. Her latest book was The Princess Diarist, which covered the time the iconic film was shot in 1977 when she was only 19. Fisher later went onto star on The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi, and the recent Star Wars: The Force Awakens where she had a central role.
As an actress she also appeared in 1980’s The Blues Brothers, The Man with One Red Shoe, Woody Allen’s Hannah and Her Sisters in 1986 and When Harry Met Sally.
She also wrote the bools Surrender the Pink and Delusions of Grandma while serving as an uncredited script doctor for numerous films including The Wedding Singer, Hook and Sister Act. Fisher divorced singe Paul Simon in 1984 and was not married at the time of her death.
