'His ears perked up every time she was on screen': Carrie Fisher's beloved dog Gary has been to see The Last Jedi... as Billie Lourd posts touching tribute to the late actress

Published: 21:35 GMT, 15 December 2017 | Updated: 22:26 GMT, 15 December 2017

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Carrie Fisher's dog has been to see Star Wars: The Last Jedi, and 'perked up' every time the late actress was on screen.

The star - who passed away at the age of 60 in December 2016 - made her final outing as General Leia Organa in the eighth installment of the sci-fi franchise in scenes filmed prior to her passing.

And her beloved pet pooch Gary Fisher - who is now being taken care of by her former assistant Corby McCoin - has been to support his late owner after the movie hit cinema screens on Friday.

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Canine companion: Carrie Fisher's dog has been to see Star Wars: The Last Jedi, and 'perked up' every time the late actress was on screen (pictured in London in July 2014)

ABC News reporter Veronica Miracle shared the news on Twitter when she wrote: 'The late @carrieffisher's dog Gary just watched #TheLastJedi! He sat on Fisher's former assistant's lap during the film.

'She said his ears perked up every time she was on screen @starwars @ABC7'

A video clip showed the dog wearing his very own X-wing pilot uniform.

On Friday, Carrie's daughter Billie Lourde, 25 - who also stars in the film - posted a sweet tribute to her mom.

Sharing a pic of the late icon hugging her only child, she captioned it with emojis spelling out 'I miss you.'

'I miss you': Carrie's daughter Billie Lourde, 25, posted a sweet tribute to her mom, who made her final outing as General Leia Organa in the eighth installment of the sci-fi franchise

Kitted out: A video clip showed the dog wearing his very own X-wing pilot uniform

Carrie's younger brother Todd meanwhile told TMZ that the family found one scene in particular The Last Jedi especially hard to watch.

He said the clan had already seen the same scene in an earlier cut when the actress was still alive, but watching it after her death made it particularly gut-wrenching.

Gary's cinema trip comes after Corby previously admitted the dog has been providing emotional support to Carrie's supporters, who love seeing her four-legged friend at events and have encouraged Corby to keep taking him out.

She said: 'The fans, they love him. I just think people who don't have conditions and understand what animals bring they kinda look at things as, they're just a dog. But they're not.

Caretaker: Carrie's former assistant Corby McCoin, who now cares for the dog, brought him to the screening to see his owner in the film

'Before working with Carrie, before understanding these type of conditions, it's hard to explain.

'When I go to a Comic-Con or something it's not there to make money. I know people are saying that I'm trying to capitalise.

'What Carrie got out of going to these Comic-Cons, were, you know, how many people would come up and say, 'You're such an influence for women.'

'A lot of it is the bipolar and the mental conditions and what she brought, and people see him, it's not that, "Oh Carrie's legacy, Princess Leia, and now it's the dog," it's more that people are like, "Keeping bringing him out, it's great to see him and let people understand what animals do for people".'

Tough: Carrie's brother Todd said the family found one scene in particular The Last Jedi especially hard to watch (pictured unveiling a plaque in her honor in Hollywood on Thursday)

The Last Jedi soared to an almost record preview opening of $45 million on Thursday.

The early haul made it the second-highest preview night opening of all time - but well behind behind 2015's The Force Awakens.

Abrams' first chapter of the new trilogy netted a whopping $57 million when it opened for preview on Thursday December 17, 2015.

Johnson's latest chapter did manage to edge out the final Harry Potter Film - the Deathly Hallows Part 2 - which had held the runner up spot with $43.5 million.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, The Last Jedi is projected to make a not-too-shabby $200 million domestic opening weekend at the box office, making it easily the biggest film of the year.