(CNN) – Carrie Fisher, the actress best known as "Star Wars" Princess Leia, has died after suffering a heart attack, her family said in a statement Tuesday. She was 60.
Family spokesman Simon Halls released a statement on behalf of Fisher's daughter, Billie Lourd:
“It is with a very deep sadness that Billie Lourd confirms that her beloved mother Carrie Fisher passed away at 8:55 this morning,” the statement said.“She was loved by the world and she will be missed profoundly. Our entire family thanks you for your thoughts and prayers.”
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Fisher was flying from London to Los Angeles on Friday, Dec. 23, when she went into cardiac arrest. Paramedics removed her from the flight and rushed her to a nearby hospital, where she was treated for a heart attack. She later died in the hospital.
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The on-screen princess Fisher was in London filming the latest season of Amazon's "Catastrophe." Just days ago, she tweeted a photo of herself and actress Sharon Horgan on set.
Born in Beverly Hills to entertainers Debbie Reynolds and Eddie Fisher, Carrie Fisher got her start in Hollywood in 1975 in the movie "Shampoo," starring Warren Beatty.
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Best known for her portrayal of Leia in the "Star Wars" movie franchise, Fisher went on to act in plays, television and blockbuster films and has written a number of best-selling books.
Fisher says in her new memoir, "The Princess Diarist," that she and Harrison Ford had an affair on the set of the original "Star Wars," which hit theaters in 1977. Ford, who was married at the time, has not confirmed or denied it.
Ford and Fisher reprised their roles last year in "Star Wars: The Force Awakens."
Her work has earned Fisher two Emmy Award nominations.
Fisher has been a longtime advocate for mental health awareness, drawing from her own struggles with bipolar disorder.