Entertainment

Billie Lourd Wasn’t A ’Star Wars’ Fan At First, But She Became A One For This Touching Reason

by Savannah Walsh
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Growing up the child of a mega-famous performer presumably comes with its own set of unique challenges. It can especially become tricky when you aren't into the movie that provided your mother with her most iconic role. But that used to be the case for the late Carrie Fisher's daughter Billie Lourd. Lourd recently revealed that she wasn't a Star Wars fan growing up. *cue gasps from the fandom*

On Thursday, May 23, Lourd was a guest on Bravo's Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen, where she opened up about her complicated relationship to the hit franchise.

Cohen started off by asking Lourd what days like May 4, known for the phrase "May the fourth be with you," felt like for her. She responded, "I kind of dig it. I really dig it, I don't know. I love Star Wars. I hated it when I was a child, but now I'm super into it." She added that there was a lot of pressure for her surrounding the series, especially since she's played a role in the latest trilogy as Lieutenant Kaydel Ko Connix.

But the Booksmart actor revealed that her feelings towards Star Wars and her mother's eternal place within it as Princess Leia has evolved over the years. Plus, her reason for not liking the movies as a kid is actually hilariously relatable.

Cohen asked Lourd why she didn't connect with the movies as a kid, or if they were "like a sibling that you didn't want?" Lourd explained, "Kind of, yeah. And she was a really loud sibling that was always, like, shooting guns and like being annoying. Literally, my mom said I would always cover my ears and say, 'This is too loud.'"

But it seems that now not only has Lourd been able to watch the movies with uncovered ears, but use the iconography of the series to pay tribute to her mother. Fisher died in December 2016 at age 60 after having a massive heart attack during a flight from London to Los Angeles. Since her tragic death, Lourd helped preserved her memory when she spoke at Star Wars Celebration in 2017 and will even share the screen with Fisher in Episode 9, which is titled, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.

The film's director, J.J. Abrams revealed that using existing footage from previous Star Wars films, mother and daughter were able to share the screen in character during multiple scenes. But at first, Abrams decidedly put Lourd in scenes where Fisher's image wouldn't be used. "I purposely had written her character in scenes without Carrie, because I just didn't want it to be uncomfortable for her," Abrams explained to Vanity Fair. However, Lourd told the writer and director, "I want to be in scenes with her. I want it for my children when I have kids. I want them to see."

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It truly feels like a full-circle moment for Lourd, from young kid who was scared of the intense Star Wars noises, to co-starring in the new trilogy alongside her. May the force forever be with Lourd.