Isla Fisher Honors Confessions of a Shopaholic Author Sophie Kinsella After Her Death
Isla Fisher has released a statement following the passing of Confessions of a Shopaholic author Sophie Kinsella, who died at the age of 55.
“Dear Sophie, you created Rebecca Bloomwood, a hilariously imperfect, dreamy comic character,” Fisher, 49, wrote in an Instagram Story post on Wednesday, December 10. “I was fortunate enough to take on her role and utter your clever and brilliant words.”
Fisher portrayed the title character in the 2009 film adaptation of Confessions of a Shopaholic, co-starring Hugh Dancy. Kinsella published the novel of the same name in 2000.
“My daughters grew up listening to your books being read and still love them today,” Fisher, who shares three children with ex Sacha Baron Cohen, added in her message to Kinsella. “My heart is broken. You remain my hero, and I am grateful for you.”
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The actress concluded, “And although we won’t meet again, your brilliance and magic live on through your remarkable characters.”
In a subsequent post on her Instagram Stories, Fisher added that she was “so heartbroken” by Kinsella’s death.
The family of the bestselling author announced her death earlier on Wednesday.
“We are devastated to announce the passing this morning of our beloved Sophie (aka Maddy, aka Mummy),” a statement read on social media. “She passed away peacefully, with her final days filled with her true passions: family, music, warmth, Christmas, and joy. We cannot imagine what life will be like without her radiance and love of life.”
The statement continued, “Despite her illness, which she faced with exceptional courage, Sophie felt truly blessed to have such a wonderful family and friends, and to have experienced the extraordinary success of her writing career. She took nothing for granted and was eternally grateful for the love she received. She will be missed profoundly.”
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Kinsella had been diagnosed with glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer, in the years leading up to her death.
“Since my glioblastoma diagnosis in 2022, I have received love and support from many friends, family, and readers worldwide,” the author wrote via Instagram in June. “I am also incredibly thankful for the excellent medical care I’ve received. Brain cancer is an exceptionally difficult disease to treat, and requires far more research.”
Kinsella, survived by husband Henry Wickham and their five children, authored dozens of novels. Her successful Shopaholic series featured journalist Rebecca Bloomwood, who secured employment at a financial magazine despite her own severe debt.
“When I approach a new book, I think, ‘Hi Becky, let’s go have fun together,'” Kinsella shared with CBS News in 2014, describing her writing process. “I assume her perspective and view the world through her eyes, and off we go. … You are working alone in your room and typing away [on a computer], hoping people enjoy your book, and then it goes out into the world. But then you encounter someone who says, ‘I read your book in the middle of the night while I was recovering from [an] operation, and it helped me get through it.’ I mean, what greater achievement in life can you have than that?”
