Fans, friends remember Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds at public memorial
Ceremony featured music from James Blunt and speakers including Dan Aykroyd
Fans and friends paid tribute to Carrie Fisher and her mother, Debbie Reynolds, at a spirited public memorial for the late actresses who died in December within days of each other.
Some waited outside the Hall of Liberty at Forest Lawn cemetery in the Hollywood Hills since early morning to ensure they got a seat inside.
"I worked three jobs to get myself here since January," said Rebecca Fisher-Jackson, who traveled to L.A. from Cornwall, England, for the service and said Carrie Fisher was a big part of her childhood.
"I came here yesterday to see her grave and I burst into tears."
Fisher, 60, a writer and actress best known for her role as Princess Leia in the Star Wars films, died Dec. 27 after suffering a medical emergency a few days earlier on a flight from London.
Reynolds, who became famous for her role in Singin' in the Rain in 1952, died the following day at the age of 84.
Fisher's final work on screen will be seen in The Last Jedi, an upcoming film in the Star Wars franchise.
Todd Fisher, who organized the public service for his late sister and mother, told reporters Saturday that Reynolds "hated funerals" so "we're having a party."
The two-hour ceremony included music, dance and rare footage of the mother-daughter duo discussing their lives.
Many fans showed up in Star Wars memorabilia.
"I am a huge Star Wars fan but Carrie had a really cool personality," said Randy Matthews, dressed in a Star Wars T-shirt and Empire Strikes Back baseball cap. "She wasn't worried about offending people, which is a unique quality, I think. Not all celebrities are like that."
"People are taking pictures like they would at a convention," said Lindsay Garcia, another fan in attendance. "People are happy to come here. It's not a sad thing."
Dan Aykroyd was among the speakers who made the audience laugh, describing Fisher as a chatterbox who never let him speak during their relationship.
The ceremony also featured a new song by You're Beautiful singer James Blunt. Blunt was close friends with Fisher.
Fisher and Reynolds were buried together in January at the same cemetery where the public memorial was held — a place where other well-known entertainers, including John Ritter and Lucille Ball, were also buried.
With files from the Associated Press