As the holidays approach we near many anniversaries both good and bad. In the Star Wars universe we will soon get out final Skywalker chapter Rise of Skywalker, but we also have another date approaching. Seven days after the release of her final on screen performance, we will honor the passing of the founding female bad ass, our own Princess Leia, Carrie Fisher. Recently, Billie Lourd wrote a magnificent article for TIME where she talked about her mothers, the late Carrie Fisher and Princess Leia.
The Dark Side of Greatness
For those of us Star Wars fans, it is inconceivable to think having the late, great Carrie Fisher as a mother wouldn’t be the coolest thing in the known universe, but to Billie it did not start out so hot. She starts her letter with the following:
I grew up with three parents: a mom, a dad and Princess Leia. I guess Princess Leia was kind of like my stepmom–technically family, but deep down I didn’t really like her.
Billie Lourd
We see the great princess, hottest woman in the galaxy portrayed by the funniest woman in the galaxy. Sadly, we will never see Carrie square off versus Betty White but oh well. To Billie, Leia was competition for her mothers time and attention since both could not be present. Billie did not even attempt Star Wars until age 6 and even then she says it took her 4 years to finish it. She shared this funny Anecdote:
My mom used to love to tell people that every time she tried to put it on, I would cover my ears and yell, “It’s too loud, Mommy! Turn it off!”
Billie Lourd
Middle School Changes Everything
Billie goes on to talk about how it was the horny boys in middle school that finally made her sit down and figure all this out.
Like any kid, I didn’t want my mom to be “hot” or “cool” – she was my mom. I was supposed to be the “cool,” “hot” one–not her! But staring at the screen that day, I realized no one is, or ever will be, as hot or as cool as Princess F-cking Leia. (Excuse my language. She’s just that cool!)
Billie Lourd
After that Billie attended her first Comic-Con with her mother and had her eyes opened for the first time. It is one thing to know fame. It becomes quite another when that fame becomes quantified by thousands of fans gathered in one place.
I realized then that Leia is more than just a character. She’s a feeling. She is strength. She is grace. She is wit. She is femininity at its finest. She knows what she wants, and she gets it. She doesn’t need anyone to defend her, because she defends herself. And no one could have played her like my mother.
Billie Lourd
And that is no joke. Go track down documentaries on the making of the original Star Wars where they show early auditions. Cindy Williams, Jody Foster and others auditioned for the role. Some did not seem quite right. Some were down right dreadful, but then comes Carrie. She alone carries the grace and power she would bring to the role.
The Bloodline Awakens
Read up on Carrie’s life and you will find it was anything but smooth going. Billie goes on to talk about how Carrie shielded her from Hollywood and did almost everything to make sure Billie did not enter the fray that is Hollywood. Despite this Billie had an inkling to act. The urge went unacted upon until her mother called her and informed Billie that JJ Abrams and Co. wanted her to audition for The Force Awakens.
I realized I wanted to give the whole acting thing a shot. I was definitely afraid, but as a wise woman once said, “Stay afraid, but do it anyway … The confidence will follow.”
About a month later, they somehow ended up calling. And there I was, on my way to be in motherf-cking Star Wars. Whoa.
Billie Lourd
(One the following page: Billie Lourd discussed picking up her mother’s mantle.)
“Billie had an inkling to act”? She had a slight knowledge or suspicion to act?