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Star Wars’ world-shifting debut in 1977 gave the galaxy more than just unforgettable characters; it also gave us one of Hollywood’s most unexpected behind-the-scenes romances. Carrie Fisher and Harrison Ford had a secret affair on set. The truth emerged decades later in Fisher’s memoir The Princess Diarist, where she spilled the galactic tea about their brief but intense fling. The Star Wars phenomenon set the stage for their secret romance. Just 19 and fresh off as Princess Leia, Fisher was wrapped up in a whirlwind with the 33-year-old married Ford, who was already a rising star. The affair was kept under wraps—until Fisher decided to tell the world in 2016. She described it as more of a “three-month one-night stand” with plenty of emotional baggage. According to Fisher, when you’re filming on location, “everything is permitted,” but that didn’t make the affair any less complicated.
Fisher admitted to feeling guilty about getting involved with a married man. But despite the guilt, she was utterly captivated. She was “obsessed” with Ford, and making him her “number one priority” became an all-consuming mission for the young actress. Sadly, her dream of Ford leaving his wife, Mary Marquardt, for her was just that—a dream. As filming wrapped on the first Star Wars movie, Ford returned to his family, leaving Fisher to reflect on what could have been.
Time, however, had a way of rewiring the storyline. Ford’s marriage to Marquardt ended after Star Wars exploded and changed the film industry. This opened a small window for a brief rekindling of their chemistry when they reunited on set for The Empire Strikes Back. But by then, Fisher had moved on. She married musician Paul Simon in 1983, and after a whirlwind divorce, she began dating talent agent Bryan Lourd.
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