It’s been almost three years since her passing, and yet it feels like Carrie Fisher never truly left us. The Star Wars actress, novelist, and script doctor was an impenetrable force in Hollywood. A mental health activist and fairy godmother to us all, she shone a light for those who struggle with mental illness and addiction, and reminded us that we’re never alone. Her work lives on, both onscreen and in the pages of her books, like the novel Postcards From the Edge and her memoir Wishful Drinking (which was turned into a stage show that you can still stream on HBO).
Carrie also lives on via her daughter, actress Billie Lourd, who often takes to Instagram to share memories of her famous mother and grandmother, Debbie Reynolds, who passed away just one day after Carrie. Every year on Carrie’s birthday, Billie shares a tribute, and this year’s is especially heartbreaking.
That’s Billie in Carrie’s bathroom, a room of her eccentric home that Billie now owns, and that you can see in more of in the HBO documentary Bright Lights. As Billie notes, that was her favorite room of the house, and so it was only fitting that it’s where she’d record this year’s dedication to her late mother: a rendition of Tom Petty’s “American Girl,” one of Carrie’s favorite songs.
This isn’t the first time the actress—who stars on FX’s American Horror Story and appeared in one of the year’s best films, Booksmart—has posted a musical tribute to her mother. On the anniversary of her death last year, Billie shared a video of her singing Nico’s “These Days” on her mother’s piano, a gift from her famous father Eddie Fisher.
Billie will next appear as Lieutenant Connix in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, where unused footage of Carrie will be used to bring General Leia to life one last time. Back in April, director J.J. Abrams confirmed that Billie will actually share scenes with Carrie in the film. If this footage didn’t make you emotional already, be prepared to bring the tissues to theaters this December.
Featured Image: FX Networks
