Nine years after losing her mother, Billie Lourd has found an unexpected source of healing in the laughter of her children.
The actress recently shared a deeply personal tribute to Carrie Fisher on Instagram, revealing how grief transforms into something beautiful when filtered through motherhood.
Her words capture something many grieving parents understand: joy and sorrow aren’t opposites—they’re intertwined.
And in Lourd’s case, her late mother lives on in ways she never expected.
A Morning That Changed Everything
Lourd’s tribute began with an ordinary moment that felt anything but ordinary. Her daughter woke earlier than usual on the anniversary of Fisher’s death, and what happened next reminded the Booksmart star why grief doesn’t have to mean endless sadness.
She knowingly laid her little head on my chest. She looked up at me with her big soulful eyes and said ‘I love you mama’ and grabbed my face with her little chubby hands and kissed me.
Lourd went on to describe this as her favorite daily ritual, noting that her daughter repeats this tender gesture almost every morning. But on this particular day—marking nine years since Fisher’s sudden passing—the moment carried extra weight.
Lourd shares two children with husband Austen Rydell: a son born in 2020 and a daughter born in 2022. Both kids are growing up hearing stories about a grandmother they’ll never meet in person but who remains powerfully present in their lives.
Keeping Grandmomby’s Memory Alive
Fisher may not be physically present, but Lourd makes sure her children know exactly who their “grandmomby” was. During that emotional morning, she told her daughter how much Fisher would have adored her.
I told her how much her grandmomby would have loved her and she looked up at me and kissed me again.
The tenderness didn’t stop there. Lourd described watching her children with her father, Bryan Lourd, as one of her greatest sources of happiness. Their connection runs deep—she described them running around together “like 2 old souls that have known each other forever.”
Watching my dad with my kids is one of the greatest joys I’ve ever known. The kind of joy that makes your face hurt because you can’t stop smiling.
Joy That Exists Because She Existed
Here’s where Lourd’s tribute becomes particularly profound. She realized that every smile, every giggle, every moment of connection with her children traces back to Fisher in some way.
Then I started thinking about how this joy wouldn’t be possible without my mom. This joy only exists because she existed.
Fisher’s influence doesn’t require her physical presence. She shaped who Lourd became, which directly impacts how Lourd mothers her own children. It’s a generational ripple effect that continues spreading outward.
So even though she is not physically part of this joy, she is part of the reason for it. Even though she is not alive she lives on through this joy.
Grief Takes Many Shapes
Lourd’s reflection on grief offers a masterclass in emotional complexity. She doesn’t pretend grief follows a linear path or eventually “ends.”
Instead, she acknowledges its shapeshifting nature.
My grief takes on many shapes — today, right now in this moment, that shape is this joy I get to experience watching my kids with my dad.
The Scream Queens actress explained that grief transforms multiple times throughout a single day. It’s never static, never just one feeling. On this anniversary, she chose to embrace what she calls “bittersweet grieful joy”—a term that perfectly captures the contradictory emotions grieving people often experience.
It could and will change shapes multiple times throughout this day because grief is never just one thing but right now I am relishing in this bittersweet grieful joy.
Nothing Is Ever Really Over
Lourd ended her tribute by invoking one of Fisher’s most memorable quotes—words that take on new meaning when applied to her mother’s legacy.
As my mom wisely said, ‘Nothing is ever really over. Just over there.’
Fisher isn’t gone in the way we typically think of death. She’s “over there”—in her grandchildren’s laughter, in family traditions, in moments of connection between generations.
My mombys life isnt really over. Just over there — in my kids and in this joy I’m able to experience because of her. Thank you momby. I will never stop missing you.
Star Wars: The Ultimate High-Budget Home Movie
Lourd and Fisher shared screen time in unique ways. The younger actress appeared alongside her mother in supporting roles throughout the Star Wars sequel trilogy: The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi, and The Rise of Skywalker.
Recently, Lourd introduced her children to Fisher’s iconic work in 1983’s Return of the Jedi. Their reaction? Adorably confused.
They were a little bit confused. They’re like, ‘Wait, that’s my grandma?’ Like, ‘No, that’s Princess Leia, your grandma’s Carrie, but that’s Princess Leia.’
Lourd told E! News that these films serve as something more precious than entertainment for her family.
They’re like the ultimate high-budget home movie. For me to get to have those things and to get to show them my mom in those movies is so special.
Most families have grainy videos or photo albums. Lourd’s children get to watch their grandmother command the screen as one of cinema’s most beloved characters. It’s an extraordinary way to keep Fisher’s spirit alive—not just through stories, but through her actual presence captured on film.
Lessons in Healing
Lourd’s tribute offers something rare: honest insight into how grief evolves rather than disappears. She’s not pretending the pain vanished or that moving forward means forgetting.
Instead, she’s showing how loss can coexist with profound happiness.
Her approach provides a roadmap for others navigating similar losses:
- Allow grief to be multifaceted – Sadness and joy aren’t mutually exclusive
- Find your loved one in new places – Fisher lives on through her grandchildren’s smiles
- Embrace “grieful joy” – Bittersweet emotions are valid and beautiful
- Keep memories alive – Share stories, show photos, watch old films together
- Recognize that healing isn’t linear – Grief changes shape constantly, and that’s okay
Nine years later, Lourd isn’t “over” losing her mother. She’s simply learning to carry that loss alongside the incredible joy Fisher made possible. And in doing so, she’s proving that love truly does transcend death—showing up in morning cuddles, in a grandfather’s laughter with his grandchildren, and in the legacy that continues growing long after someone is gone.