Billie Lourd calls heartbreak ‘bittersweet joy’ in emotional tribute to Carrie Fisher

Billie Lourd pays tribute to his late mother, “Star Wars” icon Carrie Fisherwith a deeply personal and moving tribute on the ninth anniversary of his death. On Saturday, the 33-year-old actress took to Instagram to remember Fisher, who died at age 60 on Dec. 27, 2016. Lourd shared a touching photo of herself as a child posing with her parents, Carrie Fisher and talent agent Bryan Lourd, alongside a present-day image showing her father with his two own children. The post was accompanied by a lengthy caption in which Lourd reflected on heartbreak, motherhood, and the unexpected joy that still connects her to her late mother.

“It’s been 9 years since my mother passed away,” Lourd wrote, before describing a quiet morning moment with her daughter. She shared that her child woke up early and laid his head on Lourd’s chest, telling her, “I love you, Mommy,” before kissing her, a daily ritual that Lourd said brought her immense joy.

Lourd said she told her daughter how much her “grandma” would have loved her, and then watched her father spend time with his children, a moment she described as one of the greatest joys of her life. “Watching my father with my children is one of the greatest joys I have ever known,” she wrote, adding that the happiness was so overwhelming that it seemed cinematic and even better than a movie.

As the reflection continued, Lourd explained how this joy is inseparable from sorrow. “Then I began to think about how this joy would not be possible without my mother,” she wrote. “This joy only exists because it existed. So even if she is not physically part of this joy, she is part of the reason for it.”

Lourd explained that grief changes form over time, and that day, it manifested itself as joy, something she called “painful, bittersweet joy.” Quoting his mother, Lourd added: “As my mother wisely said: ‘Nothing is ever really over. Just out there.'”

She closed the tribute by thanking Fisher and acknowledging that the love she feels now lives on through her children and the moments she shares with her family. “Thank you mom. I will never stop missing you,” she wrote, noting that the photos included in the post were taken in the same room, 25 years apart.

Billie Lourd’s heartfelt message quickly struck a chord, with friends, fellow actors and fans filling the comments with messages of love, support and remembrance.

Sarah Paulson summed up the emotion simply by writing: “Boy, do I love you”, while Lily Collins called the tribute “the most amazing thing to read,” adding that it was “so pure” and thanking Lourd for sharing something so personal.

Kayla Scott praised Lourd not only as a daughter, but also as a mother, writing a lengthy message applauding her strength, patience and commitment to keeping Carrie Fisher’s memory alive through her children. “They are so proud of you. And you should be too,” she wrote.

Michael Rosenbaum, who shared a close bond with Fisher, reflected on their relationship and the love Fisher had for his daughter. “She always treated me so kind and helped me through a lot of shit,” he shared, adding, “Damn, she loved shit from you.”

“Star Wars” alumni also weighed in, with Marguerite Ridley leaving a series of heart emojis, while others echoed the sentiment that Lourd’s lyrics captured the complex beauty of heartbreak, love and legacy.