Ending the year celebrating the light that is Billie Lourd, and the memories of Hollywood icons Carrie Fisher & Debbie Reynolds.
BY ANJ BATHAN
You know who they are. Carrie Fisher, Debbie Reynolds, and Billie Lourd.
But they’re not just three of the biggest names in Hollywood.
They’re family.
And they’re strong women — inspirations to millions of people, both in and out of the industry. Here’s why:
Debbie Reynolds
Debbie started out as a beauty queen.
She was crowned Miss Burbank, California when she was 16, which served as her entry into stardom. Her first role (uncredited) was in the movie June Bride, but has since been credited in a number of films during Hollywood’s golden era. Among her notable films are Singin’ In The Rain,The Unsinkable Molly Brown, and Mother.
You may know her more as Aggie Cromwell from Halloweentown.
But despite her success in Hollywood, she did not lead an easy life. She was born poor, her first husband — Carrie’s father — left her for her best friend, she had two other failed marriages, and she had to file for bankruptcy once.
Oh and did you know that she never won an Academy Award?
Carrie Fisher
She portrayed Princess Leia in the original Star Wars trilogy, and reprised her role as General Organa in the new Star Wars franchise. Star Wars: The Last Jedi was the last film she ever made.
But in 2008, she revealed that she would have turned down the role of Princess Leia had she known her fame would have made her parents’ lives difficult.
But her fame in Star Wars was not the only reason why Carrie Fisher is an inspiration.
“She was so important to the public because she was telling the truth about bipolar disorder, […] just sharing who she is in an honest-to-the-bone way.” — Judith Schlesinger*
She has publicly discussed her addiction to drugs and her bipolar disorder, and has since been seen as a light by those living with mental illness. Her death in 2016 sparked another discourse on this issue.
*Judith Schlesinger is a psychologist and author of “The Insanity Hoax: Exposing the Myth of the Mad Genius”.
Billie Lourd
Best known for her role as Chanel #3 in the FOX series, Scream Queens, Billie is the daughter of Carrie Fisher and talent agent Bryan Lourd. In the show, she wears earmuffs as homage to her mother’s iconic hairstyle in the original Star Wars film.
But did you know that she has a Psychology degree from New York University?
And she’s cast as Rosanna Tickpurth in Billionaire Boys Club, along with Ansel Elgort and Taron Egerton. She was also in the seventh season of American Horror Story, as part of the Manson family cult.
In 2015, she played the role of Lieutenant Connix in Star Wars: The Force Awakens — her first movie credit! — alongside her mother, and she will be in the second installment of the sequel coming out THIS Friday!
Originally, she auditioned for the role of Rey, which was eventually given to Daisy Ridley. But she was still able to work with her mother, and that’s pretty cool, too, right?
And while there’s many things about Billie that I admire, it’s her strength that I’m really drawn to.
Losing both Carrie and Debbie was difficult, but she’s shown that there’s nothing you can’t get through when surrounded by genuine love and care — from her remaining family members to her friends to her memories of her mother and grandmother.
But I mean, she had these two strong women with her growing up so there’s really no point in asking where she got this spirit!
To my fellow girls/women out there:
2018 is upon us! You probably had to go through some hard stuff this year. And while I can’t guarantee that it’s finally going to be easy, let this article be a reminder that whichever path you’re taking, whatever dream you’re chasing, and whatever struggle you’re enduring, you are tough and definitely not alone! And,
There’s still time to grab your own Star Wars shirt! Visit ZALORA today!