Carrie Fisher offers advice to young stars

Actress Carrie Fisher has penned a letter to Hollywood's younger stars, advising them to take stock of what they have.

The letter from the Star Wars actress was published in style magazine Black Book.

"Life in the spotlight can be cruel. It sets you apart from other people, so that life becomes more about what you are than who you are," she wrote.

"That's what happened to me. It's a privileged job, which is why everyone wants it, but it used to mean you earned those privileges based on talent. Now you can become famous for being a spectacle...

"Acquiring celebrity can be an exciting thing, but there never comes a time, once you have it, when you can relax and say, 'Okay, I'm famous now. Isn't this great?'

"Fame is something you have to maintain, like a weird garden... Don't imagine that Julia Roberts is just kicking back in her house with her kids."

Fisher continued to give "Young Hollywood" her tips for longevity, adding: "If you're an actor, learn another skill. Write a book or play an instrument - at the very least, learn to manage your own finances. I wish I'd known all of this earlier, and I wish I'd paid more attention to my life as it was going by."

She also had some bespoke advice for Lindsay Lohan.

"[Lindsay's] a mess. She should back out of the whole scene and move to the f**king south of France."