Fans create impromptu Walk of Fame star for Carrie Fisher

LOS ANGELES — Fans seeking to pay tribute to Carrie Fisher have created an impromptu star for the actress on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame.

Fisher fans took over a blank star on Hollywood Boulevard and used paste-on letters to spell out her name and the phrase “May the force be with you always.” Candles and flowers surround the star.

Fisher did not have an official star on the Walk of Fame, but administrators of the Los Angeles tourist attraction are allowing the tribute temporarily to give fans a place to mourn.

Walk of Fame stars are granted by a committee overseen by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce. Celebrities must apply to be considered and be willing to pay a $30,000 fee.

There has also been a run on Fisher’s books since the “Star Wars” actress and humorist died on Tuesday.

Fisher, the daughter of actress Debbie Reynolds and singer Eddie Fisher, had been hospitalized since Friday, when paramedics responded to a report of a patient in distress at Los Angeles airport.

Her most recent book, “The Princess Diarist,” was on top of Amazon’s list of best-selling books on Wednesday. “Wishful Drinking” and “Postcards From the Edge” were also in Amazon’s top 10, with “Shockaholic” ranked as No. 57.

Five of the top 10 books on Amazon’s “Movers and Shakers” list, which measures titles that show the greatest upward movement in sales over a 24-hour period, were by Fisher. That list also included Courtney Carbone’s book, “I Am a Princess,” about Fisher’s Princess Leia character, at No. 11.

HBO, which is airing a documentary “Bright Lights: Starring Debbie Reynolds and Carrie Fisher” next year, added a New Year’s Day showing of Fisher’s one-woman stand-up special “Wishful Drinking.”

The network called Fisher “a great friend and a rare talent who left us with so many lasting memories with her wonderful sense of humor and unique and honest perspective on life.”

Viewers also will hear Fisher’s voice again on two new episodes of Fox’s animated comedy “Family Guy.”

She reprised her role as Angela, brewery boss to Peter Griffin (Seth MacFarlane). Air dates have yet to be set for the episodes, Fox said Wednesday.

Meanwhile, comic Steve Martin found himself the topic of discussion online about a tweet that he posted, then deleted, that said: “When I was a young man, Carrie Fisher … was the most beautiful creature I had ever seen. She turned out to be witty and bright as well.”

Martin received some online criticism for initially focusing on her appearance instead of her work, which in turn drew backlash for being a too sensitive reading of his tribute.

FISHER MAY STILL GET STAR

All hope is not lost for Fisher’s Walk of Fame future. Each year the Hollywood Walk of Fame awards stars posthumously. The rules state, though, that for her to receive a star there is a “five-year waiting period after death” before any deceased person can be nominated.

In this case, Fisher’s family would still apply through the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, like any applicant, in one of the five designated categories — film, television, radio, stage and music.

If the deceased entertainer is selected, it’s up to the family to decide who pays the required $30,000 sponsorship fee. A selection committee decides on the group of recipients each year. Jerry Goldsmith and Selena Quintanilla are both part of the 2017 class, while Toshiro Mifune, William S. Paley and “Mama” Cass Elliot all joined the attraction in 2016.

Like Michael’s and the rest, Fisher’s fate in Hollywood, it seems, is still to be determined.

— Variety contributed to this report.