Shannyn Sossamon, Carrie Fisher

Shannyn Sossamon

Shannyn Sossamon earned the key role of Jocelyn, opposite Heath Ledger, in “A Knight’s Tale” after being spotted by the film’s casting director while deejaying at a friend’s birthday party. She had headed from Reno to Los Angeles to dance just one day after her high school graduation. Six auditions later, she had the role.

In 2002, Shannyn was seen in “40 Days 40 Nights” co-starring Josh Hartnett, and “The Rules of Attraction” for director Roger Avery. In 2003, she co-starred with Heath Ledger in “The Order” for director Brian Helgeland, and has completed principal photography on “Devour”, “Catacombs”, “Kiss Kiss Bang Bang” and “Chasing Ghosts.”

Carrie Fisher

Since her feature debut opposite Warren Beatty in “Shampoo” in 1975, Carrie Fisher has been a compelling force in the film industry. She attained international recognition as Princess Leia, a role that made her a cultural icon, in the box office sensation “Star Wars” and its smash hit sequels “The Empire Strikes Back” and “Return of The Jedi.”

Ms. Fisher became a sensation on the literary front with The New York Times bestseller, Postcards From the Edge, for which she won the Los Angeles Pen Award for Best First Novel. Director Mike Nichols had her write the script for the 1990 film adaptation, which starred Meryl Streep and Shirley MacLaine. Three additional best selling novels Surrender the Pink, Delusions of Grandma, and The Best Awful followed.

Fisher wrote the comedy script “These Old Broads” for ABC Pictures, which was directed by Matthew Diamond and premiered on February 12, 2001 on ABC-TV. The film starred her mother Debbie Reynolds, along with Elizabeth Taylor, Shirley MacLaine, and Joan Collins.

Other previous credits include “Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back,” “Austin Powers,” “This is My Life,” “When Harry Met Sally,” “The Burbs,” “Hannah and Her Sisters,” “The Blues Brothers,” "Charlie's Angels - Full Throttle," "Stateside," and "Wonderland."

Carrie Fisher’s triumph over mental illness has made her a very popular speaker on the lecture circuit. She has appeared on the Senate floor sponsored by Eli Lily and Company urging state legislators to increase government funding on medication for people living with mental health issues. She has also been the keynote speaker at the 5th Annual Breaking the Silence, benefiting the Community alliance and has received dozens of various awards for her courage and commitment to fighting mental illness and the stigmas that are associated with it.

She's currently working on her fifth novel, and resides in Los Angeles with her daughter, Billie.