Why Carrie Fisher Described Her Affair With Harrison Ford as a ‘3-Month 1-Night Stand’

Carrie Fisher and Harrison Ford had an affair while filming their inaugural Star Wars movie in the 1970s. Fisher was 19-years old when she fell for a 33-year-old Ford. 

After 40 years of keeping the romance to themselves, Fisher released her diary entries documenting the affair. The entries became Fisher’s final memoir, titled The Princess Diarist, released in November 2016. 

Carrie Fisher said her affair with Harrison Ford was a ‘3-month 1-night stand’ because they mostly had a sexual relationship

When Star Wars creator George Lucas selected Fisher as Princess Leia, she initially was overjoyed. As Debbie Reynolds and Eddie Fisher’s daughter, Star Wars was Fisher’s first venture away from her parents’ success. While filming in London, though, Fisher soon became distracted by Ford. According to Fisher’s diary entries, Ford initiated the affair by kissing her in the backseat of his car. The pair continued to sneak around throughout filming. 

In a 2016 interview with Today, Fisher said the relationship with Ford was mostly a sexual one. During the conversation with Hoda Kotb and Kathie Lee Gifford, Fisher described the affair as a “three-month one-night stand.” 

Although the affair was brief, Fisher felt guilty about being with Ford. However, Fisher said the experience taught her a valuable lesson about Hollywood. 

“I wasn’t raised that way,” Fisher said. “But when you’re on location — this is something I discovered — everything is permitted.”

Carrie Fisher eventually wanted more from her affair with Harrison Ford

During the affair, Fisher said she and Ford acted professional on-set. However, Fisher admittedly became “obsessed” with Ford and made him her “number one priority.” As the relationship continued, Fisher wrote that she wanted more from Ford. Fisher often fantasized about Ford leaving his wife, Mary Marquardt.

In her journal, Fisher said she thought the idea might come true after imitating him at a pub while shooting Star Wars. Once Fisher realized she could make Ford laugh, she thought about them getting married one day. 

“This moment could really be a game-changer,” Fisher wrote of the event. “Harrison could expectedly (but gently and responsibly) leave his wife. And after a barely noticeable, dignified amount of time, he would marry me (in an unsentimental, tasteful way.) We would subsequently astonish everyone- including ourselves- by remaining together for the rest of whoever died first’s life. And all because I dared to do an imitation of him, for him, in the pub one night!” 

Sadly, Fisher’s fantasy never transpired. When filming wrapped on Star Wars, Ford returned to his wife and family. However, he and Marquardt divorced in 1979. Both actors found love again after their brief affair, as Fisher married Paul Simon. Fisher also had a long-term relationship with Bryan Lourd, which resulted in a daughter, Billie Lourd. Ford married Calista Flockhart in 2010 after dating for eight years. 

Carrie Fisher regretted revealing her affair with Harrison Ford 

Fisher revealed in her interview with Today that she called Ford before her book’s release date. When Fisher told Ford she planned to publish her journal entries about their relationship, Ford joked that he needed a “lawyer.” While he laughed it off in-person, Fisher thought the book was “too much” for both her and Ford to handle. 

In 2018, Fisher’s brother, Todd, released a memoir about his late sister and mother called My Girls: A Lifetime With Carrie and Debbie. Todd wrote that the affair came as a surprise to Reynolds. He said the news upset Reynolds, which caused Fisher to regret sharing her romance with Ford to the world, per Daily Mail.

“You’re right. I shouldn’t have told that story,” Fisher said to her mother, according to Todd.