Carrie Fisher’s Stuntwoman Passes at 104 Years Old
PORT ST. LUCIE, FLORIDA — Gertrude Pickleberry, a pioneering stuntwoman of film and stage, has died of natural causes. The 104-year old great-great-great grandmother went quietly in the night, according to her three live-in roommates at Harbor Place Retirement, a senior assisted living community.
Ms. Pickleberry had just returned from a working holiday in Ireland, where she served as Carrie Fisher’s stunt double on Star Wars: Episode VIII. The veteran stuntwoman, nearly indistinguishable from Ms. Fisher thanks to makeup and Force Fit Spanx, performed a range of challenging activities for the film, including brisk walking, arm folding, chewing, and pointing. Her biggest stunts as Leia, however, were reserved for set pieces that contain spoilers as we soon learned.
WARNING: SPOILERS.
“Gertie was excited. She told us Princess Leia almost dies, but with the wires and a stop-drop-and-roll of her good hip, it will look like she uses the Force to get away.”
The trio of grieving roommates also let slip one other major spoiler.
“She was giddy on the phone last week because of a kissing scene with Mark Hamill… he’s just dreamy. I would certainly play cougar to his tadpole if you know what I mean, Sonny.”
It appears there will be a brother-sister kiss in the upcoming sequel, which is in keeping with Disney’s mirroring of the original Star Wars films. A new generation must be introduced to the awkwardness of a mouth kiss between siblings, similar to how The Force Awakens served as a primer on the basics of the Force, and other familiar tropes.
Episode VIII caps off a storied career for Ms. Gertrude, who has spent a century in cinema.
“Gertie was a stunt baby even before talkies. She took a fall like nobody’s business, so she was in high demand. Not just here either, but all around the world. She never met a horse kick she didn’t like.”
Ms. Gertrude was the first stuntwoman to fall through windows, be tied to railroad tracks, get thrown off a stagecoach, take several arrows to the back – and that’s just the tip of the iceberg, as her list of achievements is simply too lengthy to list here.
Most impressive of all though, was her ability to adapt to the changing face of cinema, from silent films to talkies to color to digital and beyond. Ms. Gertrude’s skill set was incomparable, and her legacy lives on in the form of hundreds if not thousands of films that benefitted from her amazing stuntwork. Join us in honoring her legacy when Episode VIII hits theaters next year.
Ms. Gertrude is survived by 15 children, 21 grandchildren, 18, great-grandchildren, 6 great-great-grandchildren, and a pair of great-great-great-grandchildren.
May the Force Be With You, Gertie.
