Carrie Fisher Said Harrison Ford Made the First Move in Their Affair When She Was Tipsy

Carrie Fisher and Harrison Ford had an affair while on the set of their film, Star Wars: A New Hope in the 1970s. The actors who played Princess Leia and Hans Solo, respectively, kept the affair a secret until November 2016. In her final memoir, The Princess Diarist, Fisher detailed how the romance with Ford affected her at the time. 

Harrison Ford initiated the affair with Carrie Fisher when she was tipsy

Fisher’s sexual relationship with Ford happened when she was 19-years-old. Ford was off the market after he married his high school sweetheart. During their marriage, the couple also had two children.  Nonetheless, Fisher said Ford initiated the affair with her while they were shooting in London.

According to Fisher’s book, the couple’s first kiss happened when she attended a party with the Star Wars crew members. Ford and Fisher got into an argument at the event, which resulted in them making out in the back of a car. 

During a November 2016 interview on Today, Fisher admitted to being “tipsy” and “surprised” when Ford made the first move. Fisher also joked that she had the kissing session “on tape” if no one believed her. 

Carrie Fisher said the affair with Harrison Ford made her feel ‘insecure’ 

After their first sexual encounter, Fisher said the affair with Ford carried on for three months. In The Princess Diarist, she said the relationship was “intense.” However, she clarified on Today that the intensity of her and Ford’s romance was most likely due to her young age. Fisher also said having bipolar disorder intensified her self-proclaimed obsession with Ford. 

Although the fling with Ford ended after filming wrapped, Fisher admitted she felt “guilty” about sleeping with a married man. “I wasn’t raised that way,” Fisher said. “But when you’re on location — this is something I discovered — everything is permitted.”

Fisher also told Today host Savannah Guthrie that the affair wasn’t fun for her. Being with Ford started to hurt Fisher’s self-esteem. The actor said she felt “sad” reading about the experience from the perspective of her 19-year-old self. She called herself “insecure” during the romance.

“It’s very raw, and obviously, I didn’t expect anyone, including myself, I suppose, later on, to read it,” Fisher said.  

Carrie Fisher’s love for Harrison Ford was unrequited, and she preferred it that way

Throughout the short affair, Fisher found herself wanting more from Ford and their relationship. The married father of two became Fisher’s “number one priority.” However, Fisher said she knew Ford couldn’t love her back due to his circumstances. Surprisingly, Ford’s unrequited love was what Fisher needed at the time. 

“Trying relentlessly to make you love me, but I don’t want the love,” Fisher wrote. “I quite prefer the quest for it. The challenge.”

After the affair, both Fisher and Ford continued to work together. She said none of her Star Wars cast members knew about the romance, including Mark Hamil. Fisher eventually married Paul Simon in 1983, and the marriage lasted for one year.