Billie Lourd Says Her Acting Chops Come from Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds: ‘Comedy Is in the Genetics’ (Exclusive)

“I’m a very distinct personality, definitely different from both of them,” she tells PEOPLE at the ‘Mid-Century Modern’ premiere

Billie Lourd, Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds pose during TNT's 21st Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at The Shrine Auditorium on January 25, 2015 in Los Angeles, California.
Billie Lourd, Debbie Reynolds and Carrie Fisher in 2015. Photo:

Kevin Mazur/WireImage

Comedy runs in the family!

Bille Lourd, 32, exclusively shared with PEOPLE at Hulu’s Mid-Century Modern premiere at the DGA Theater Complex in Los Angeles on March 25 that she believes she gets her acting and comedy skills from her late mother, Carrie Fisher, and late grandmother, Debbie Reynolds.

“I’d say definitely the comedy is in the genetics. They were better at it than me. I can do a fair bit of tap dancing, not as good as ... young Debbie Reynolds, but that’s also in the genes, although my mom kind of sucked at tap dancing,” Lourd explains, adding that she still always looks for ways to make her performances her own.

"I'm a very distinct personality, definitely different from both of them,” she adds. “Well, it's something you learn through generations. I think I've learned to balance my life and my work in a different way than they were able to do, and that was also a product of the times."

Billie Lourd attends the Los Angeles premiere of Hulu's new series "Mid-Century Modern" at DGA Theater Complex on March 25, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.
Billie Lourd on March 25, 2025.

Savion Washington/FilmMagic

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The Scream Queens actress also spoke about how doing the multi-cam series Mid-Century Modern was a different experience from her other acting work. “It's so much fun. It's like doing a play. It's like being in performing arts camp," Lourd says of performing for a studio audience.

Lourd noted how she can also envision her kids becoming performers as she "definitely" sees the star power in her children that she shares with husband Austen Rydell: son Kingston, 4, and daughter Jackson, 2.

"But I don't want to put pressure on them to do anything [in show business]. But yeah, my kids are hysterical and cool and really good dancers and just awesome," Lourd says. "We've all wanted someone to be a doctor in this family. Let's hope we get a doctor out of them. Whatever they want to do, I'll support.”

Carrie Fisher (L), Debbie Reynolds, and Billie Lourd attend Paley Center & TCM present Debbie Reynolds' Hollywood memorabilia exhibit reception at The Paley Center for Media on June 7, 2011 in Beverly Hills, California.
Carrie Fisher, Debbie Reynolds and Billie Lourd in 2011.

Brian To/FilmMagic

Right now, she emphasized that almost anything her kids do these days makes her happy.

"My son just learned to ride a bike without training wheels, and he's 4 years old. And just watching him learn new things is the most magical, crazy thing. I didn't learn to ride a bike till I was 9 years old. I don't know, maybe blame my parents, maybe blame something, I don't know. But he is just so good at everything he tries to do and just watching him try new things and succeed at them and feeling proud of himself, is just such a beautiful thing," the proud mom says.

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