Last year, we lost one of pop culture's most famous and celebrated figures. The average person may remember
Carrie Fisher as Princess Leia from the legendary, transformative
Star Wars films, but she was much, much more than just the princess in a metal bikini.
On December 23, Fisher suffered a medical emergency on a flight from London to Los Angeles, and died of a sudden cardiac death four days later. Fittingly, her final film was Star Wars Episode VIII:
The Last Jedi, released earlier this month, which paid a special tribute to the actress.
In addition to being an actress, Fisher was also a prolific writer, writing many plays and novels, and to this day is seen as a role model for many women and creators all across the world. Her loss was felt keenly all throughout the world, and a year on, Star Wars fans paid tribute to Carrie Fisher, who was 60 years when she passed, in a very unusual, but very heartfelt way.
On December 27, the anniversary of her death, Lucasfilm publicist Chris Argyropoulos took to Twitter to share an image from outside the Yoda fountain in San Francisco, California. Alongside two white candles and a series of messages was a somewhat unusual sight: two bottles of Coca-Cola, sitting unopened on the side of the fountain.
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So what's the significance of the bottles of Coke? It may seem a little like shameless product placement to the uninitiated eye, but it's actually a subtle tribute; throughout her life, Carrie Fisher was reportedly a huge fan of the corn syrup, so much so that she appeared on
Ellen DeGeneres in 2016 to reveal she drank as many as 16 bottles of the stuff per day. Ice cold.
"I start them, but then it starts to get warm. And then you have to get another one … They have to [have] that sharp, sharp cold taste."
She also told Ellen DeGeneres how when she was filming Star Wars, she wasn't allowed to drink Coke, opening a lid on the dark side of filming maybe the defining sci-fi fantasy movie of all time. According to Fisher, Star Wars executives didn't want the sugary drinks affecting the way the actress looked.
"
They like to hire part of me. So I have to get rid of the part they don’t want. So when I’m hired for Star Wars, every time, they have hired about three-quarters of the size that I am.”
The interview with Ellen DeGeneres is spoken with the trademark candour, confidence and wit we all knew and loved Carrie Fisher for, it's just an example of the impact she had on the people around her, and how much she's missed now that she has passed on. I'm sure that this Coca-Cola tribute is just one of many dedicated to the late actress, and that although she is no longer with us, her impact is still felt all over the world. Rest in peace, Carrie. You are still greatly missed.
