Actress and writer Carrie Fisher died Tuesday after suffering a heart attack Friday on a flight to Los Angeles.
Best known for playing Princess Leia in the “Star Wars” movies, Fisher was remembered in a tweet by the New York Times obituary account with one of her most iconic looks – “slave Leia” from “Return of the Jedi.” The choice of this picture caused outrage among some of her fans.
The “slave Leia” from “Jedi” is remembered for wearing a gold bikini while wearing a collar and leash held by Jabba the Hutt. When rumors circulated that Disney, the company that owns the rights to the Star Wars franchise, was going to discontinue making “slave Leia” figures, Fisher said, “I think that’s stupid.”
Explaining what to tell young girls about the outfit, Fisher continued, “The father who flipped out about it, ‘What am I going to tell my kid about why she’s in that outfit?’ Tell them that a giant slug captured me and forced me to wear that stupid outfit, and then I killed him because I didn’t like it. And then I took it off. Backstage.”
Still, Fisher’s defense of the iconic costume didn’t stop many fans from blasting the New York Times obituary account from using a photo of her in it in their tweet about her death.
Carrie Fisher, who played Princess Leia in “Star Wars” with nerve and grit, died at 60 https://t.co/HPqBZRsZuk pic.twitter.com/Y1uI8VAU5q
— NYT Obituaries (@NYTObits) December 27, 2016
Of all the photos you could use, @NYTObits, you chose this one. Why not General Organa, or anything else? https://t.co/8tZwuLBl3Y
— Joel (@JoelNihlean) December 27, 2016
@NYTObits double-fisted middle fingers to whomever thought this image was a fitting tribute to Carrie Fisher.
— Erin Templeton (@eetempleton) December 27, 2016
@NYTObits Let me guess – there is a man running this account. Shame on you – this is not the photo to show at a time like this.
— Lisa Schroeder (@lisa_schroeder) December 27, 2016
Delete this tweet and picture and repost with a proper picture of Carrie Fisher. This is shameful of you. @NYTObits
— Ana Mardoll (@AnaMardoll) December 27, 2016
@NYTObits This is a bad tweet. Delete and repost with an image that is literally anything but this one.
— Anne DeAcetis (@annedeacetis) December 27, 2016
@NYTObits @nytimes . Don’t use slave Leia as your obituary photo for a human being you fucking misogynist assholes.
— Drew Kaufman (@DrewIsAlright) December 27, 2016
@NYTObits what is wrong with you?! This woman was a script writer and a trail blazer on mental health. And THIS is what you post?
— redwingx (@redwingx) December 27, 2016
Shame on you @NYTObits Delete this and re-post with an image that shows respect for this accomplished, kind and funny woman.
— kajjajja (@kajjajja) December 27, 2016
@NYTObits Please tell me this is fake news. You select a photo of her as a sex slave in chains? I could not be more disappointed in the NYT.
— Jan Percival (@ScribePR) December 27, 2016
@NYTObits Of all the images, you go with the one she hates? Shame on you.
— Kelly Fineman (@kellyfineman) December 27, 2016
@NYTObits Really? This picture? Of all your many choices? Your headline calls out “nerve and grit.” You had no photos showing THAT?
— LaSalleUGirl (@LaSalleUGirl) December 27, 2016
@NYTObits @nytimes Fuck you for that photo selection, you pieces of literal human shit.
— Jim Gould (@Biscuit_Tornado) December 27, 2016
@NYTObits Want her in the gold bikini? Use this one, where she’s rescuing herself. pic.twitter.com/LRbTWzRXdu
— More than a Princess (@SenojNG) December 27, 2016