5. Carrie Fisher
Character & Films: Princess Leia Organa in the original trilogy - and confirmed for
Episode VII.
Before Star Wars: Very little, other than a TV film with Debbie Reynolds and a supporting role in Hal Ashby's
Shampoo.
After Star Wars: Fisher's battle with drug addiction and depression has received considerably more attention than her acting career. It's a career of highs and lows, the highs being
Hannah and Her Sisters and
When Harry Met Sally..., and the lows including
Drop Dead Fred and
Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle. She has, however, found success as a writer and has gamely parodied herself on
Robot Chicken.
Did She Deserve Better?: Probably. Because her pre-Lucas career is so brief, it's hard to say how good she would have been without the drug problems. Hopefully reprising her role in
Episode VII will lead to a reappraisal of her career.
Look No Further: April in
Hannah and Her Sisters (1986). It might just be Woody Allen's best film.