Billie Lourde on what mom Carrie Fisher would say about Debbie Reynolds death
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
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