Billie Lourd Talks ‘Last Showgirl’s “Cathartic” Connection To Carrie Fisher, Debbie Reynolds

In her latest film, Billie Lourd drew from some personal inspiration for a beautiful mother-daughter story.

While attending the movie’s Toronto International Film Festival world premiere on Friday, the Last Showgirl actress explained how her role in the Gia Coppola movie reminded her of late mother Carrie Fisher and grandmother Debbie Reynolds.

“That’s so weird, a movie about Vegas and mothers and daughters… did I relate to that? 100 percent,” Lourd told People. “That’s why I fell in love with it.”

She continued, “When Gia sent me the script for the first time, I was so excited to get to be involved in it because it reminded me so much of my mom and grandma. My grandma was a showgirl in her own right and my mom was a little bit of the character that I got to play. So, it was really cathartic and incredible to get to be in this movie and play this role. It was really cool.”

Fisher died at age 60 on Dec. 27, 2016 after suffering cardiac arrest on a flight from London to Los Angeles. Reynolds died at 84 the next day after suffering a stroke.

Written by Kate Gersten, The Last Showgirl stars Pamela Anderson as Shelley, a Vegas dancer who finds herself at a frightening crossroads when her show is cancelled after a 38-year run and she is told she’s too old to join a new show. Meanwhile, she tries to reconnect with her daughter Hannah (Lourd), while maintaining the other relationships in her life and plotting her future.

Also starring Jamie Lee Curtis, Kiernan Shipka, Dave Bautista, Brenda Song and Jason Schwartzman, the film is produced by Schwartzman and Natalie Farrey. It is currently seeking distribution.