1. Overview
Billie Catherine Lourd is an American actress born into a prominent Hollywood family, the only child of actress Carrie Fisher and talent agent Bryan Lourd. She is widely recognized for her roles as Lieutenant Connix in the Star Wars sequel trilogy and as Chanel #3 in the Fox horror comedy series Scream Queens. Lourd has also gained significant acclaim for her diverse character portrayals across multiple seasons of the FX horror anthology series American Horror Story. Her career showcases a blend of blockbuster film appearances and critically recognized television performances, continuing her family's legacy in the entertainment industry.
2. Early life
Billie Catherine Lourd's early life was deeply rooted in the entertainment world, given her family's extensive connections in Hollywood. She was born and raised in Los Angeles, California, surrounded by a lineage of celebrated actors and industry figures.
2.1. Family
Billie Catherine Lourd was born on July 17, 1992, in Los Angeles, California, as the only child of actress Carrie Fisher and talent agent Bryan Lourd. Her maternal grandparents were the iconic actress Debbie Reynolds and singer Eddie Fisher. She is also the niece of Todd Fisher, Joely Fisher, and Tricia Leigh Fisher, all of whom have established careers in show business. From her mother's side, Lourd is of Russian-Jewish and Scots-Irish/English descent.
Lourd's godmother is the acclaimed actress Meryl Streep, and writer Bruce Wagner serves as her godfather. She also has a half-sister named Ava, who was legally adopted by her father Bryan Lourd through his marriage to Bruce Bozzi. Growing up in Los Angeles, Lourd was a childhood neighbor and close friend of Frances Bean Cobain, the daughter of Kurt Cobain and Courtney Love, further highlighting her upbringing within a unique circle of prominent figures.

2.2. Education
Lourd attended high school at Harvard-Westlake School in Los Angeles. In 2008, she was presented as a debutante at Le Bal des débutantes held at the Hôtel de Crillon in Paris, an event for which she was dressed by the fashion house Chanel. She later pursued higher education at New York University Gallatin School of Individualized Study, where she graduated in 2014 with a self-designed degree in "Art and Business as Religion."
3. Career
Billie Lourd's acting career began in the mid-2010s, quickly establishing her presence in both major film franchises and popular television series, and continuing to evolve with diverse roles.
3.1. 2015-2019: Early roles
Lourd made her film debut in 2015, appearing as Lieutenant Connix in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, the first installment of the Star Wars sequel trilogy. She reprised her role in the subsequent films, Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017) and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019). For a brief flashback scene in The Rise of Skywalker, Lourd also portrayed a younger Leia Organa, with her face digitally replaced by Carrie Fisher's likeness from Return of the Jedi. Interestingly, Lourd revealed on The Ellen DeGeneres Show in 2017 that she had initially auditioned for the lead role of Rey, which ultimately went to Daisy Ridley.

In February 2015, Lourd was cast in the Fox horror-comedy series Scream Queens. She played the character of Chanel #3, a wealthy and disaffected sorority girl. Her character's signature earmuffs were a deliberate homage to her mother Carrie Fisher's iconic "cinnamon buns" hairstyle from the original Star Wars film. Lourd returned for the show's second season in 2016. Reflecting on her casting, Lourd shared her surprise at being offered the role directly by creator Ryan Murphy, stating she initially thought it was an audition.
In December 2015, Lourd joined the cast of the biographical crime-drama film Billionaire Boys Club, portraying Rosanna, the love interest of Kyle Biltmore. The film's release was delayed until July 17, 2018, due to sexual harassment allegations against co-star Kevin Spacey.
Lourd further expanded her television work by joining the cast of the FX horror anthology series American Horror Story. In the series' seventh season (2017), she played the role of Winter Anderson, and also portrayed Linda Kasabian, a former member of the Manson Family cult. She returned for the eighth season, Apocalypse (2018), where she played Mallory, a powerful witch.
3.2. 2019-present: Continued success
In 2019, Lourd appeared as Gigi in Booksmart, a high school comedy film directed by Olivia Wilde, which garnered critical acclaim. She continued her collaboration with Ryan Murphy, returning to American Horror Story for its ninth season, 1984, where she portrayed Montana Duke, an aerobics enthusiast and punk rocker. Ryan Murphy was reportedly so impressed with her performance in 1984 that he decided to write a miniseries specifically for her.
In 2020, Lourd made a guest appearance in the ninth episode of the eleventh and final season of the NBC sitcom Will & Grace, playing Fiona, the granddaughter of the character that her real-life grandmother, Debbie Reynolds, had portrayed during the show's original run. In December 2019, Lourd also featured in a holiday-themed television commercial for Old Navy.
Her work with American Horror Story continued into its tenth season (2021), where she played Lark Feldman, a mysterious tattoo artist and dentist. The following year, Lourd starred in the romantic comedy Ticket to Paradise alongside Julia Roberts and George Clooney, playing the role of Wren Butler. She also returned to American Horror Story for its eleventh season, portraying Dr. Hannah Wells, a biologist studying a viral strain in New York City. In 2022, Lourd starred as Audrey in the transatlantic comedy And Mrs, directed by Daniel Reisinger. She also had a recurring role as Ashley in the twelfth season of American Horror Story (2023-2024).
Looking ahead, Lourd is set to appear as Hannah in The Last Showgirl (2024), for which she received a Special Jury Prize at the 72nd San Sebastián International Film Festival. She is also slated for a voice role in the upcoming animated film Smurfs (2025). Additionally, she has roles in the upcoming films Adulthood (in post-production) and Love Language (currently filming).
4. Filmography
Billie Lourd has been involved in various film and television projects, showcasing her versatility as an actress. She has also taken on a producing role in one film.
4.1. Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Star Wars: The Force Awakens | Lieutenant Kaydel Ko Connix | |
| 2017 | Star Wars: The Last Jedi | Lieutenant Kaydel Ko Connix | |
| 2018 | Billionaire Boys Club | Rosanna Ricci | |
| 2019 | Booksmart | Gigi | Won-Best Supporting Actress (Los Angeles Online Film Critics Society) |
| Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker | Lieutenant Kaydel Ko Connix | ||
| Young Princess Leia Organa | CGI of Carrie Fisher | ||
| 2022 | Ticket to Paradise | Wren Butler | |
| 2024 | And Mrs | Audrey | |
| The Last Showgirl | Hannah | Won Special Jury Prize (San Sebastián International Film Festival) | |
| 2025 | Smurfs | TBA | Voice; in production |
| TBA | Adulthood | TBA | Post-production |
| Love Language | TBA | Filming |
4.2. Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-2016 | Scream Queens | Sadie Swenson / Chanel #3 | 23 episodes |
| 2017 | American Horror Story: Cult | Winter Anderson | 10 episodes |
| Linda Kasabian | Episode: "Charles (Manson) in Charge" | ||
| 2018 | American Horror Story: Apocalypse | Mallory | 8 episodes |
| 2019 | American Horror Story: 1984 | Montana Duke | 9 episodes |
| 2020 | Will & Grace | Fiona Adler | Episode: "Bi-plane" |
| 2021 | American Horror Stories | Liv Whitley | Episode: "BA'AL" |
| American Horror Story: Double Feature | Leslie "Lark" Feldman | 2 episodes | |
| 2022 | American Horror Story: NYC | Dr. Hannah Wells | 7 episodes |
| 2023 | Strange Planet | Loud Teen (voice) | 2 episodes |
| 2023-2024 | American Horror Story: Delicate | Ashley | 3 episodes |
4.3. Producer
| Year | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Wildflower |
5. Personal life
Billie Lourd's personal life has seen significant milestones, including her marriage and the expansion of her family.
Lourd began dating actor Austen Rydell in early 2016. During a brief separation from Rydell, she was in a relationship with actor and Scream Queens co-star Taylor Lautner from December 2016 to July 2017. Lourd and Rydell reconciled later in 2017 and became engaged in June 2020. Their son was born in September 2020. The couple married in March 2022, and in December 2022, Lourd gave birth to their second child, a daughter.
Through her marriage to Austen Rydell, Lourd is the daughter-in-law of actor Christopher Rydell, and the granddaughter-in-law of director Mark Rydell and actress Joanne Linville.
6. Awards and recognition
Billie Lourd has received critical recognition for her performances, including:
- Best Supporting Actress** at the Los Angeles Online Film Critics Society for her role as Gigi in Booksmart (2019).
- Special Jury Prize** at the 72nd San Sebastián International Film Festival for her performance as Hannah in The Last Showgirl (2024), shared with her co-stars.