With no official place in Hollywood to honor the late Carrie Fisher, fans took it upon themselves to craft a tribute to the actress, author and activist by decorating a blank star on the Walk of Fame. Beverly White reports for the NBC4 News at 11 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2016.
With no official spot on Hollywood Boulevard to mourn Carrie Fisher, fans of the actor, author and activist crafted a pop-up tribute for the icon on the Walk of Fame Tuesday.
Dedicated fans decorated a blank star in front of the Grauman's Chinese Theatre for the "Star Wars" actor. They surrounded it with candles and white roses and stuck on letters that formed "Carrie Fisher - May the force be with you always - Hope."
"When I found Carrie Fisher didn't have a star I found that to be unacceptable," said Jason Thomas, who was dressed in a Jedi robe and carried a lightsaber. "Decided to take it upon myself to make one for her. She's touched my generation."
The Walk stars are not actually awarded to recipients based solely on talent, hard work and dedication to the arts. Star recipients are selected by a committee that considers hundreds of applications each year.
The stars are purchased for $30,000, rather than gifted. Half of that $30,000 fee pays for the ceremony and the other half goes toward maintenance and repairs.
The iconic "Star Wars" actor died Tuesday at age 60 following a heart attack she suffered Friday on a flight to Los Angeles from London. Daughter of singer Eddie Fisher and actor Debbie Reynolds, Fisher was also an accomplished author. Her memoir "The Princess Diarist" was published this year.
Her portrayal of Princess Leia felt real to many.
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"She definitely had that female empowerment, being the ambassador," said Elise Savage, a fan from Washington. "Just, she grabbed the gun! Did everything the guys did!"
Fisher's death sparked an outpouring of grief from her family, her "Star Wars" co-stars, other Hollywood actors and devoted fans on social media.
"She brought the galaxy hope," Thomas said in a Facebook live video. "She deserves a star, now she lives amongst them. She was the flame that lit the fire that burned the empire to the ground.
"Hope is embodied in this woman and she gave that to my generation and hopefully to others."
