Following Carrie Fisher's shocking demise, actor Harrison Ford has released an emotional statement. Calling the Princess Leia actor "funny and emotionally fearless" the Star Wars veteran admitted that she will be dearly missed.

The statement released by Ford reads [via Entertainment Tonight], "Carrie was one-of-a-kind... brilliant, original. Funny and emotionally fearless. She lived her life, bravely... My thoughts are with her daughter, Billie [Lourd], her mother, Debbie [Reynolds], her brother, Todd [Fisher], and her many friends. We will all miss her."

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Fisher and Ford played Princess Leia and Han Solo respectively, in Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi. The actress recently revealed about her off-screen romance with Ford in 1976, in her final memoir titled, The Princess Diarist.

The Force Awakens actress shared that she began an affair with the then-33-year-old Ford after a birthday party for George Lucas, and their fling continued for three months during filming.

While appearing on the Ellen DeGeneres Show, she told the host that she kept her romance a secret for 40 years. "I told other stuff to distract people so they wouldn't figure it out. No one thought it was happening at the time – I don't even know if he did. No, he did," she joked.

60-year-old Fisher died on Tuesday (27 December) morning after suffering a heart attack on a transatlantic flight earlier in the week.

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."

"She was loved by the world and she will be missed profoundly. Our entire family thanks you for your thoughts and prayers."

Carrie Fisher
Carrie Fisher and Harrison Ford in early Star Wars movies Disney/ Lucas Film