LOS ANGELES, Mar 26: Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds were remembered in the public event at Hollywood’s Forest Lawn Cemetery featuring music by ‘Star Wars’ composer John Williams and a new track by family friend James Blunt.
Reynolds and Star Wars actress Fisher died within a day of each other in December last year.
Dancers, Dan Aykroyd and Star Wars’ R2D2 were among those who took the stage at the mother and daughter’s public memorial service, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
“Better late than never, as they say,” Todd Fisher, Reynolds’ son, said before adding the public event “is a show and not a memorial, because my mother didn’t like memorials and funerals.”
“There were no finer people that I have ever known than my mother and sister.”
The service was a celebration of Reynolds and Fisher’s legacies both on and off the screen. Blunt’s tribute song was accompanied by a montage of photographs of the two.
Fisher’s former beau Aykroyd took the podium to recall their friendship.
“I once saved her life, applying the Heimlich maneuver to dislodge a brussel sprout, and if I had been with our beloved showboat, I might have been able to save her again,” he said.
“I know these women will have a song for us when we arrive at the crossing. After all, we’re only seconds behind.”
Todd also recalled Reynolds’ last day, during which she told him she wanted to be buried with Carrie.
“She looked at me to ask for permission to leave, said she wanted to be with Carrie, closed her eyes and went to sleep,” he shared.
“It was a very peaceful exit that only my mother could’ve orchestrated. She was trained in Hollywood where they teach you to make a great entrance and exit. A beautiful exit.” (PTI)
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