Dear Kathleen Kennedy, Rian Johnson, and Star Wars Episode VIII Producers at Lucasfilm,

There are few words to adequately express the grief most of the world is feeling in the wake of Carrie Fisher's passing. As you know to many people she was much more than a character, but an inspiration. An extremely talented and complicated woman on more levels that can be represented here. As Kathleen Kennedy so elequently herself stated: “Carrie also defined the female hero of our age over a generation ago. Her groundbreaking role as Princess Leia served as an inspiration of power and confidence for young girls everywhere.”

What is evident in this challenging era of recognizing equal pay and representation for women in Hollywood and in other professions around the world is that Carrie Fisher, and the character she portrayed meant so much to so many people. Yet Carrie herself was always given less of a billing than her male co-stars. Even when her role was more substantial and encompassed more lines and work involved.

Case in point: Carrie Fisher has always received third billing in Star Wars. In Episode VII it was behind both Harrison Ford and Mark Hammill even though Ford and Hamill's billings were reversed from their original trilogy order. However, despite having no dialogue and being in the film for only one scene Hamill still received second billing over Fisher.

With Ford out of the saga, that leaves both Hammill and Fisher as the only two remaining of the original trio of actors to headline Star Wars: Episode VIII.

There is a unique opportunity for Lucasfilm to right this wrong. To set an example that lives up to both Carrier Fishers legacy, and to honor the gravity and importance of the beloved character she has portrayed. On behalf of Star Wars fans everywhere I humbly request that Kathleen Kennedy, Mark Hammill, and Rian Johnson, do something unprecedented in Star Wars history:

Please honor Carrie Fisher by giving her Top Billing in Star Wars: Episode VIII, her final film.