INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
LOS ANGELES: Dressed in white robes and sporting Princess Leia´s distinctive spiral bun hairstyle, Kristin Grady walks up and down
Hollywood collecting signatures on behalf of her idol.She believes the late actress Carrie Fisher deserves her own star on the Walk of Fame
-- and hopes this week´s new "Star Wars" film will boost her campaign.The conclusion to nine films spanning four decades, "The Rise of
Skywalker" will be the last to feature Fisher, who appears posthumously in unused footage from previous episodes.Grady believes it may be
Fisher´s last chance to take her place alongside 2,600 stars bearing the names of celebrities along Hollywood´s sidewalks -- including
those of Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker) and Harrison Ford (Han Solo.)"It´s absurd," said Grady
"The two male stars of ´Star Wars´ have stars, yet the female star of ´Star Wars´ does not have a star.""So that turns into a feminist
issue for me and for 5,931 people," she added, referring to the number of signatures she has collected so far.Millions of people visit the
Walk of Fame every year to spot their favorite actors´ and singers´ stars, and pose for photographs."It´s not just about getting Carrie
the recognition that she absolutely deserves," says Grady
"It´s about making systematic changes for women in Hollywood, so brilliant women like Carrie Fisher are no longer overlooked."Unfortunately
the process is not so simple
Ana Martinez, who organizes ceremonies for honorees on the Walk of Fame, congratulated Grady´s "tenacity," but clarified that the
collection of signatures is not going to help."They would have to nominate her with permission in writing from the family, and submit the
application after the fifth anniversary of her passing," Martinez told AFP.Fisher died of a heart attack in 2016, so could only get a star
from 2021."We don´t even know if she wanted one," added Martinez.Representatives of Fisher´s daughter, actress Billie Lourd, did not
respond to AFP´s request for comment.A star also requires a $50,000 payment toward the inauguration ceremony and maintenance, from the
honoree, their family or a movie studio.Still, Grady´s campaign is not without support
After a petition to remove President Donald Trump´s star was approved by the West Hollywood City Council, Hamill tweeted in June: "I know
#AStarForCarrie".Grady now carries a small banner with that hashtag, and often encounters people who are shocked to learn Fisher does not
already have a star."She was just such a cool person, and she was such a good writer, and had such a positive impact on our culture," said
Grady, who barely scrapes a living on tourist tips but vows to keep petitioning."This isn´t just about ´Star Wars.´"TheIndianSubcontinent
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