When Carrie Fisher died, Princess Leia did not have to die with her. Celebrities should be considering legacy planning, or the planning of a celebrity’s public persona, as one aspect of estate planning. This type of planning can be complicated because the laws have not caught up to technology’s ability to posthumously resurrect characters onscreen. Posthumous protections vary by state, so it is important to appoint someone you trust to handle your post-death career.
See Ashley Cullins, Carrie Fisher, ‘Star Wars’ and the Legal Issues of Dead but In-Demand Actors, Hollywood Reporter, May 1, 2017.
Special thanks to Jim Hillhouse (Professional Legal Marketing (PLM, Inc.)) for bringing this article to my attention.
