Why Carrie Fisher’s Daughter Billie Lourd Will Always Talk About Grief

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Billie Lourd runs in many exclusive circles, but there’s one club she never wanted to be a part of.

Since her mother, Carrie Fisher, passed away just after Christmas in 2016, she’s been part of a group of people who’ve lost a parent.

Over the past nine years, the 33-year-old actress has transformed her personal pain into a positive force. She’s openly shared her journey through grief—including her most private feelings and the ups and downs she’s experienced—with others.

It wasn’t surprising when Billie started our conversation about loss by excitedly saying, “We love the club!” It quickly became clear how important being a member is to her.

She shared that discussing grief is deeply rewarding and meaningful to her, because it’s a topic people often avoid. Before her own experience with loss, she struggled to find others who understood what she was going through. Now, she feels it’s crucial to talk about grief openly and honestly, as it’s a very complex emotion.

Consider, for example, the thoughts shared by the former Scream Queens star about what would have been Carrie Fisher’s 69th birthday.

In a recent post, Billie shared that she feels a pang of envy whenever she meets people who lived as long as her loved one didn’t. She wonders why her loved one wasn’t given the chance to live a full life, and understands that anyone who’s lost someone young might feel the same way.

And based on the reactions from the fellow grievers who flooded her comment section, they could.

I’ve noticed a lot of people are surprised by Billie Eilish’s honesty online – she’s very open about still working through complicated feelings, even admitting she sometimes feels frustrated with her mom. But that’s actually really relatable! It shows that even after someone is gone, your relationship with them doesn’t just end. It continues to change and evolve, and that’s a really important thing to acknowledge. It’s okay to have messy feelings, even years later.

Billie Eilish explained to TopMob that it’s normal to experience a wide range of feelings. She said some days she feels angry, other days sad, and sometimes she feels happy and peaceful, like she did when she was in the Redwood forests.

Near the Redwood trees, actress Evan Peters – who shares 5-year-old son Kingston and 2-year-old daughter Jackson with husband Austen Rydell – is talking about her new collaboration with Columbia Sportswear. She’s partnering with them to promote their ‘Star Wars’-themed Endor Collection.

The redwood forest in Northern California famously served as the setting for the forest moon of Endor in Return of the Jedi, where Carrie Fisher’s Princess Leia played a key role in the battle against the Empire. In a recent photoshoot, Billie Eilish walked through the trees wearing a poncho reminiscent of one her mother wore in the film, while her children wore fleece jackets inspired by the Ewoks, the cuddly creatures from the movie.

Oh my god, when she was really there, truly present, it was just… everything. It was the best of her, and those moments are so rare, you know? Honestly, whenever I get to feel even a little bit of that connection, even if it’s tinged with sadness, I just… I hold onto it so tightly. It sounds weird, but it actually feels good. Like a gift, almost. It’s like I’m savoring something precious, even if it hurts a little.

 

Billie Eilish explained to TopMob that it’s normal to experience a wide range of feelings. She said she goes through days of anger, sadness, and other times feels happy and peaceful, recalling a particularly lovely experience in the Redwoods.

Near the Redwood trees, actress Evan Peters – who shares 5-year-old son Kingston and 2-year-old daughter Jackson with husband Austen Rydell – is talking about her new collaboration with Columbia Sportswear. She’s partnering with them on their ‘Star Wars’-themed collection, called The Endor Collection.

The Redwood National and State Parks in Northern California famously served as the setting for the forest moon of Endor in Return of the Jedi, where Carrie Fisher’s Princess Leia played a key role in the climactic battle against the Empire. In a recent photoshoot, Billie Eilish walked through the trees wearing a poncho reminiscent of one her mother wore in the film, while her children sported fleeces inspired by the Ewoks, the lovable bear-like creatures from the movie.

Billie described a special moment, saying it felt incredibly real and genuine. She explained that these moments, showcasing the best parts of the person she’s grieving, don’t happen often. Because of this, she cherishes and fully embraces the sadness she feels when remembering them, finding comfort in the experience.

Billie has found ways to keep her children connected to their grandmother, like including Kingston and Jackon in photoshoots and helping them appreciate the importance of Star Wars.

Though it also helps that they are quite literally following her path. 

Billie feels fortunate to live in the Beverly Hills home she built by combining the properties of her mother and grandmother, Debbie Reynolds. She explained that, since her children never met Reynolds, living in the house allows them to get to know her legacy.

This means that holidays are celebrated in the same rooms Billie shared with her mother, and her children, Kingston and Jackson, play in the same backyard where she once played with the actress. It helps Billie feel connected to her mother’s memory.

Billie also honors her mother by indulging in her favorite treats—like Coca-Cola and a particular salad, even though it wasn’t good for her—and by writing while visiting her gravesite.

It feels strange to say this, but I enjoy visiting her gravesite. I’ll bring a Coke, sit with my kids, and just talk about her. It’s important because I don’t often get a chance to talk about her when she’s not here. It’s a real opportunity for me to share stories about her with her friends and with my husband.

Which brings us back to her public musings on grief.

She explained that she’s found comfort in sharing her feelings about grief online. She begins writing a few days before the anniversary of the loss, as her emotions evolve each year. Now, she actually anticipates these posts, knowing many others share similar experiences.

She shared that she reads every single one of the roughly 2,500 comments she receives. While the comments often relate to a difficult time, she finds a strange comfort in knowing others share similar experiences, and she looks forward to reading them each year. She admitted this feeling was a little odd, but still welcome.

When she feels lonely, she’s comforted by the enduring love the Star Wars community has for Carrie Fisher.

She explained that it feels like Leia is family, and that even people who didn’t know her personally feel a strong connection to the character. She considers having so many fans a wonderful gift. She added that her mother, Carrie Fisher, put a lot of herself into the role of Leia, so understanding Leia is like knowing Carrie, which makes the connection even more meaningful.

After all, as Star Wars promises: the Force—to which all energy returns—will be with us, always.

For more on Billie and Carrie’s sweetest moments together, read on. 

Billie shared an old photo in remembrance of her mother, who would have turned 61 today, ten months after her passing.

Billie posted this throwback photo on Mother’s Day 2017, the first Mother’s Day without Carrie.

The two share a sweet moment.

Billie poses with her mom and grandma Debbie Reynolds at her high school graduation.

Billie and Carrie attend the premiere of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, which stars them both.

Billie poses with her mom and grandma Debbie Reynolds at the annual event.

Billie Eilish and her mother attended the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ Governors Awards in 2015.

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2025-12-06 17:17