The celebrities expected to speak at Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds' farewell

Meryl Streep has been asked to give the eulogy at a public memorial service for Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds.

Star Wars actress Carrie - who died aged 60 on December 28 after suffering a suspected heart attack - and her 84-year-old mother, who passed away a day after her daughter, will be laid to rest in a private service and burial on Friday, but their family is also planning a Hollywood event to allow fans to say their farewells to the actresses.

And according to TMZ, though no date has yet been set for the public memorial, 67-year-old Meryl - who appeared in Carrie's movie Postcards from the Edge and was very close to Debbie - is expected to lead the tributes to her friends, though she is not a "firm lock" yet.

Actors from the Star Wars movies, including Mark Hamill, will also be invited to speak, and creator George Lucas is expected to attend, though unlikely to address those who assemble for the service.

Insiders told the website the public memorial will also feature some of Debbie and Carrie's most famous movie costumes, including outfits from Singin' in the Rain and Star Wars, on display.

Carrie and Debbie will be buried side by side in California's Forest Lawn cemetery. 

There are no stars expected to deliver eulogies at their private funeral, and Carrie's daughter Billie Lourd has yet to decide whether she feels up to speaking at the service or not.

- NZ Herald