In a recent article published for Rolling Stone magazine, actress Billie Lourd revealed that she always lived in her mother’s and grandmother’s shadows. For the unititiated, Lourd’s famous mother and grandmother are Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds, respectively.
The two passed away within a day of each other in December 2016. Fisher was best remembered as the iconic Princess Leia in the “Star Wars” franchise of movies. Debbie Reynolds was known for her numerous movie and television roles from “Singin’ in the Rain” to “The Golden Girls.”
Court documents recently confirmed that Lourd will inherit a sizeable portion of Carrie Fisher’s estate. Additionally, she will control the rights to Fisher’s image.
As a number of celebrities have passed away over the last few years, the importance of maintaining a fallen celebrity’s public image has become nearly as important in death as it is during their lifetime. The value of a celebrity’s image tends to increase after their death.
A few prominent examples include Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston and Prince. Their estates tend to increase because they gain new fans who collect memorabilia about artist and their estates authorize releases of previously recorded music or documentaries.
It is reported that a number of Fisher’s and Reynold’s collectibles and memorabilia will be auctioned or be available to family and friends. Other pieces will be available for sale.
The story exemplifies the importance of having an estate plan regardless of whether you are a famous celebrity or someone with a meager estate. The power to choose how one’s assets will be distributed and who will administer an estate is an important one, and experienced estate planning attorney can help with the choices to be made.