Billie Lourde, an aspiring actress and the daughter of Carrie Fisher, covers the latest issue of Town & Country. I absolutely love the Fendi jacket and Ralph Lauren shirt she’s wearing below. The Michael Kors dress on the cover is cute. It doesn’t really standout for me but I can’t find anything wrong with it. Plus, I dig her gray hair but then, gray hair with a young face is really attractive to me.
I feel kind of sorry for Billie because many need her to fill Carrie and/or her grandmother Debbie Reynolds’ shoes. From what I have seen so far, Billie is doing her legacy justice. She’s working with her uncle Todd Fisher on a museum dedicated to Carrie and Debbie (Billie received the whole of Carrie’s estate.) She also brought both Carrie and Debbie’s dogs to the memorial. In Town & Country, Bille opens up even more about her mom and grandmother. Billie was interviewed by family friend and her co-star Sarah Paulson, which is nice because Sarah was such a part of Billie’s childhood. The interview veers into Sarah’s stories as often happens when celebrities interview celebrities. However, it’s an interesting interview and worth reading. Below are some highlights.
On coping with the loss of her mother, Carrie Fisher, and grandmother, Debbie Reynolds: “If life’s not funny, then it’s just true – and that would be unacceptable. Even when she [Carrie Fisher] died, that was what got me through that whole thing. When Debbie died the next day, I could just picture her saying, ‘Well, she’s upstaging me once again, of course – she had to.’”
On her decision to become an actor: “My mom [Carrie Fisher] pointed me toward it. The first thing I did was Star Wars: The Force Awakens. [On set] my mother would pull me aside and be like, ‘It’s weird that you’re so comfortable here. This is the most uncomfortable environment in the world. If you’re comfortable here, you should do this.”
On life after her mother and grandmother: “I’ve always kind of lived in their shadows, and now is the first time in my life when I get to own my life and stand on my own. I love being my mother’s daughter, and it’s something I always will be, but now I get to be just Billie. It’s a lot of pressure, because she [Carrie] had such an incredible legacy, and now I have to uphold that and make it evolve in my own way.”
On growing up around her mother’s drug addiction and mental illness: “A lot of people have had experiences like mine, too. Tons of people grow up with mentally ill parents who have drug problems… It’s such a common thing, and people really don’t talk about it. [On Billie’s statement about her mother’s death] it ultimately helped so many more people, and that’s why I made that statement.”On how she met Ryan Murphy, creator of Scream Queens and American Horror Story: “I went to Silver Lake for this birthday dinner and ended up sitting next to Ryan [Murphy]. He was like, ‘What the hell are you doing with your life? And I said, ‘I’ve started acting. I’ve gone on 10 auditions and I don’t know what I’m doing, but I’m going to try.” And he said, ‘You need to be on my show Scream Queens.’”
My favorite quote is the one about Debbie upstaging Carrie in death. That was my first thought when I’d heard that Debbie died and I felt like such an ass for it. I linked it in the except but you can read Billie’s statement about Carrie’s death here. Part of me wonders if Billie is so open naturally or feels an obligation to her mother’s fans. I hope she’s comfortable with it because I, for one, really appreciate learning more about Carrie. Elsewhere in the interview, Billie admitted she has decided to keep Carrie’s home (you can see pictures of it here) and move in with some of her friends. I’m sure that wasn’t an easy decision for her.
As for Billie’s career, she did study at both Wesleyan and NYU. According to Billie, Debbie was the one who pushed her to perform, which makes sense. Sarah also brings up the fact that Billie is a very talented singer and is thinking about cutting an album. I wonder if she ever saw herself doing anything outside of show business? Of course, if you’re given TV roles during a dinner party, you don’t have to think too much about what you are going to do with your life. It’s funny because based on Billie’s description of her kooky but fun childhood, I guess I assumed she’d crave stability. However I think that being in the same industry as Carrie and Debbie makes her feel closer to them. I wish her success. Between her upbringing and the sudden deaths of her mother and grandmother a day apart, I think she’s dealt with much more than I ever will.
Photo credit: Victor Demarchelier/Town & Country
I LOVED her in Scream Queens, she was by far my fave in the show…Hopefully she will be good in AHS also 🙂
She was very very funny on Scream Queens, it’s true.
Her character was extremely deadpan. I like her, but her character there. Anyone could play it.
I think she got her mum’s thoughts spot on and it is bitterly sweet 🙂
She seems to be pretty well adjusted, honestly. Which is amazing because I’m sure certain aspects of her childhood really were not easy. I like what she said about finding humor in it – that’s how I cope with most things. Sometimes it’s not easy, especially when you lose a loved one – but you know that they wouldn’t want you to be absolutely miserable. Likely, they’d want you to be laughing about funny things they said or did, or the good times you’d spent together. You also need to work in a healthy amount of grieving though – which I suppose is different for everyone. I think as long as you’re trying to balance a little bit, you’re going to come out the other end as okay as anyone could.
My family is this way. We called my Grandmother’s service a celebration of life and it truly was. We were side-eyed more than once over the laughter (and tears) from her viewing. She was 95 and had touched so many and once people started sharing it was incredible. It was extremely healing for us in such a difficult time. It was respectful but the laughter of her life shone through the sadness. I can only hope at the end of my journey, my son will be able to do the same.
The quote about Debbie upstaging Carrie would be a typical Carrie reaction. Not malicious. Affectionate. I think Carrie worked all the issues around those kinds of issues decades ago. We saw some of that in POSTCARDS FROM THE EDGE, but if you watch their docuseries, Carrie fully expects Debbie to upstage and be the STAR at all times because that is Debbie’s personality. Carrie accepts it and is amused by it.
I watched (and re-watched) the Debbie/Carrie documentary, and found it both amusing and poignant.
Carrie did seem at peace with her mother, and had clearly taken on the role of caregiver — living next door, clearly showing emotion at the fragility of her mother’s health. Had Carrie outlived Debbie, it would have been very hard on her.
I think so too.
I watched the docuseries too and cried throughout, but it did show the deep love Debbie and Carrie had for one another. I did not know Debbie had been ill, but she still had a presence even in her later years. Both women were amazing, it’s easy to see where Billie gets her strength from. I wish her nothing but peace and success.
This interview was great and she’s dealt with a lot recently. I cannot imagine what it’s like and on top of that have to share your grief with the world.
She was one of the best parts of Scream Queens and she has a good comedic instinct. It will be interesting to see if she can pull off AHS.
Billie comes from a line of incredibly potent women. Debbie’s mother was quite a force, as well.
Debbie had this very appealing, girl-next-door wholesomeness and prettiness, which camoflaged her intelligence, ambition, and other aspects of her life which might have been jarring for audiences at the time.
I think Carrie’s intelligence was awesome, but terrifying.
I don’t think this girl could be anything other than famous, considering her family legacy. Think she’s handling herself extremely well given the tragic loss she’s just been through. All the best to her!!!
She seems like a bright young lady with a good head on her shoulders. These past 7/8 months have no doubt been hard but she seems to be handling it with grace & humor. Carrie would be proud (Debbie too). She still has a good support system in her father & stepfather and friends, which I’m sure has been a tremendous help. I wish her the best.
I haven’t seen her in anything but she definitely has a movie star quality about her. On the one hand sounds like she was handed a lot but she sounds like she’s also been put through the wringer. She doesn’t give off an entitled vibe.
I feel sympathy for her loss but there are so many talented out of work actors, this triple generational inbreeding into Hollywood really should stop. I’m sure this girl is talented but seeing Kate Hudson’s bland face on one of the articles just reminds me you can’t duplicate the same magic.
But then show business parents don’t push education much or expose their children to other careers like medicine, law, accounting?
There are plenty of lawyers here in California already. PLENTY! Too many!
We do not need more!
Sympathize with her on her losses and does sound like she is doing well/is well adjusted.
Re her career, don’t forget her father is also one of the most powerful agents in the business.
She’s only two years older than me and has been through so much already…I’m rooting for her.
Loved Carrie. We didn’t appreciate her enough when she was here.
Billie seems nice and well adjusted but talk about nepotism. Its pretty sickening to think she can just talk to her parent’s friends at a dinner and have a career set up. Getting tired of all these next generation kids like Dylan Penn, Brooklyn Beckham (£18 for his picture book 😂), Zoey Dutch, they ALL seem to have a famous parent or an aunt.
It’s surprising to hear of a celeb kid getting a normal job nowadays. Bruce Springsteen has a fire fighter, a business graduate and a jockey … all still hugely privileged of course but at least they are being independent to their parents
This phenomenon can be deadly to talent and creativity, not to mention originality. As a culture, we seem to be sheepishly in thrall to second and third generation iterations of all kinds of things. One weak-brew star, model, remake, prequel, and sequel after another.
The Springsteen’s daughter is a professional rider on the international horse show circuit, not a jockey. She’s good and had some success but even with a couple endorsements, she’s not making enough to stay on the circuit without her parents financial backing.
It’s always been that way though. There’s nepotism in the business world too. It’s unfortunate when you don’t have the same connections but that’s life.
“It’s a lot of pressure, because she [Carrie] had such an incredible legacy, and now I have to uphold that and make it evolve in my own way.”
I thought this was a good answer. I’ve never seen a kid of celebrity parents really give an answer like that.
I reserve judgment on her talent, but I find her face arresting. Since I loved her mother and grandmother, I’ll be interested to see how she fares in the business.
I think she looks so much like Debbie Reynolds! It’s uncanny.
Good luck, young lady! I wish you much success.
That was such a tragic event, I really wish her success and happiness.