Carrie Fisher's Devoted Fans Start a Petition to Make Leia an Official Disney Princess

Ever since Carrie Fisher's untimely, tragic passing on Dec. 27 from a heart attack, people have been memorializing the 60-year-old actress with everything from heartfelt essays to works of art. Now, some loyal fans are trying to give Fisher's most iconic character, Star Wars' Princess Leia, a very special honor: making Leia an official Disney princess. A Change.org petition was started online by a fan named Cody Christensen to try to get Disney, which bought Lucasfilm for $4 billion in 2012, to give Leia her due. "After the tragic [loss] of Carrie Fisher, we feel that it is only fitting for Disney to do away with the rule that an official Disney princess must be animated," the petition wrote to Disney CEO Bob Iger. "This would be a wonderful way to remember Carrie and a welcoming to one of Disney's new properties that is beloved by millions."

Christensen is a father to five daughters, and told GeekExchange that Princess Leia is exactly the kind of female character that young women need to look up to. "We are big fans of the current Princess line-up, but I think that Leia is a really strong, positive, awesome role model for my girls," he said. At the moment, the lineup of princesses includes characters like Belle, Cinderella, Snow White, Brave's Merida, and The Princess and the Frog's Tiana. The only characters who aren't apart of the official Disney Princess franchise — which began in 2000 — are Anna, Elsa from Frozen, and Moana. As of Thursday afternoon the petition had over 35,000 signatures, but Iger and the rest of the Mouse House have yet to respond.