Nearly a decade after Carrie Fisher’s death, Billie Lourd has found a deeply personal way to introduce her children to their celebrated grandmother.

The American Horror Story actress is sharing Fisher’s Star Wars movies with her young family, allowing the children to see her whenever they watch Princess Leia on screen.

During a recent appearance on The View, Lourd discussed how the films have created a meaningful connection between Fisher and the next generation of her family.

Lourd, 34, said her children, ages four and six, are still figuring out where Fisher ends and her famous Star Wars character begins.

Trump's Sovereign Wealth Fund: What Could It Mean For Your Money?

That distinction required a little explanation from Lourd. She said: “I had to explain to them the difference between Carrie Fisher and Princess Leia.”

Although the children are learning to separate the actress from the character, Lourd views their access to Fisher’s movies as something extraordinary.

The performances provide a vivid way for them to see and hear the grandmother they are coming to know through her work.

“It’s such a gift that they get to have those movies, it’s like a high-budget home video. They get to see my mom all the time,” Lourd said.

FREE Gun Law Map: Laws Don't Pause During Social Unrest

The comparison captures how Fisher’s famous screen appearances have become something intimate for her family.

For audiences, the Star Wars films feature one of Fisher’s most beloved performances, but for Lourd’s children, those same scenes also offer glimpses of their grandmother.

That connection feels particularly powerful to Lourd because she sees so much of Fisher in Princess Leia.

Image Credit: Beachside Stock

Speaking about the resemblance between her mother and the character, Lourd said: “She’s so much like that character.”

The movies are not the only way Lourd continues to engage with Fisher’s work. She also listens to her mother’s audiobooks, which give her another opportunity to hear Fisher’s voice and feel her presence during ordinary moments.

Lourd described the experience in strikingly personal terms while discussing the comfort she finds in “walking through LAX listening to my dead mom’s voice in my ear”.

She added: “It’s a singular experience.”

Fisher died at age 60 in December 2016 after suffering a medical emergency on a flight. Her death was followed one day later by the death of her mother, actress Debbie Reynolds, leaving Lourd to grieve two major losses in immediate succession.

As Lourd has carried that grief, she has also found comfort in the enduring affection that fans continue to show Fisher.

Princess Leia gave people around the world their own connection to her mother, and those relationships still reach Lourd in unexpected ways.

“The awesome thing about her being that Princess Leia person is that so many people love her and have their own relationship with her,” Lourd said. That widespread devotion means Fisher’s memory is not confined to movies, recordings or private family recollections.

Lourd recalled attending a recent fan convention where someone showed her a personal item that Fisher had signed. Encounters like that allow memories of her mother to return through people who valued Fisher and held onto reminders of their experiences with her.

For Lourd, those moments have become an unusually comforting part of mourning. “The coolest thing about my grief is that she gets brought back to me in these ways,” she said.

Fisher’s films, audiobooks and interactions with fans each offer Lourd a different path back to her mother.

They also give her children ways to discover Fisher through the voice, personality and character that audiences continue to cherish.

By watching the Star Wars movies together, Lourd can help her children understand both Carrie Fisher and Princess Leia.

The distinction may still be developing for them, but the films ensure their grandmother remains a visible and meaningful presence in their family.

The opinions expressed by contributors and/or content partners are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Objectivist. Contact us for guidelines on submitting your own commentary.