Ford, Fisher, Hamill: Where are the 'Star Wars' stars now?

Los Angeles: “Star Wars” turned Harrison Ford into a major star, but Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher struggled to emerge from Luke and Leia’s towering shadows. [caption id=“attachment_2516542” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] A Star Wars fan in Beijing dressed in The Force Awakens-inspired costume/ Reuters[/caption] Appearing in the intergalactic space saga has been a blessing for some, and a curse for others. With “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” due in theaters worldwide next week, the following are briefs about some of the actors who have featured in the blockbuster franchise: Harrison Ford Ford, who portrays the seductive, intrepid smuggler Han Solo, rocketed to fame after the initial film and is arguably the franchise’s biggest star. Shortly after first piloting the Millennium Falcon, the 73-year-old actor – a pilot in real life – fronted another massive franchise, the Indiana Jones films, and starred in sci-fi hit “Blade Runner.” Other career highlights for the Hollywood A-lister include two turns as Tom Clancy’s hero Jack Ryan in “Patriot Games” and “Clear and Present Danger.” He earned an Oscar nomination for best actor in 1986 for “Witness.” Carrie Fisher Fisher, the daughter of actress Debbie Reynolds and singer Eddie Fisher, was only 20 years old when “Star Wars” hit movie screens, making her an international star as Princess Leia. After her turn in the original “Star Wars” trilogy, the 59-year-old actress notably appeared in Woody Allen’s “Hannah and Her Sisters” and “When Harry Met Sally.” Fisher, who struggled with addiction, didn’t score roles on a par with her turn as Leia. She wrote a semi-autobiographical novel, “Postcards From The Edge,” as well as a screenplay for the film version starring Meryl Streep and Shirley MacLaine. Mark Hamill Hamill, also known as the valiant Jedi Knight Luke Skywalker, has built a successful career mainly as a voice actor for animated films and video games, including a turn as The Joker in “Batman: The Animated Series.”