1. Billie is the latest of a long line of entertainers.
In addition to having Princess Leia as a mother, her father is talent agent Bryan Lourd. Her uncle is producer Todd Fisher and her grandparents are the legendary actress, Debbie Reynolds, and iconic singer, Eddie Fisher. With a family tree like that, no wonder Billie went into show business.
2. Her parents didn’t want her to get into the family business.
However, her dad wasn’t keen on seeing Billie follow her mother’s footsteps. “My whole life, they said ‘Do not act. You need to get a college degree,'” Billie told E!News. Considering all the heartache and drug addiction her mother endured — which you can find out about in Carrie Fisher’s book, Wishful Drinking — no wonder Billie’s dad sternly told her to go to school.
3. She’s a double major college graduate.
So, before she passed an audition, she passed her classes. Billie graduated from New York University in 2014, with a double major in religion and psychology. With her degree in hand, she decided to fulfill her secret dream of becoming a star.
[jwplatform 2nApXlB3]
4. Billie’s first acting role was a big one!
Billie is best known for portraying Chanel #3 on the Ryan Murphy horror-comedy television series, Scream Queens. But, before a single drop of fake blood was splattered across the set, Billie had wrapped up her spot in The Force Awakens. “This is the first job I’ve ever had,” she told Interview magazine, according to People. “Right into the fire,” she added. No starting off small for Billie!
5. She is NOT playing a young Princess Leia – but she’s still showing love to her mom.
Billie will portray Lieutenant Connix, according to IMDB, though earlier reports said that she would play a young Princess Leia. But, just like how Billie wore earmuffs in Scream Queens as a tribute to her mom, she will rock hair buns as a loving shout-out to the role her mother made famous!
Are you excited to see Billie and Carrie in The Force Awakens, HollywoodLifers? Did you manage to get tickets during opening weekend?