Carrie Fisher's Daughter Billie Lourd Gets Bigger Role in 'Star Wars Episode 8'

Billie Lourd appeared on last year's sci-fi smash Star Wars: The Force Awakens in a minor role, playing Resistance's Lieutenant Connix, and although it was fairly hyped that the real-life daughter of Princess Leia herself Carrie Fisher would appear on the film, she didn't speak much during the movie -- but now, it turns out the Scream Queens actress will have a bigger role in Episode 8!

Last weekend, Lourd was on the red carpet of Fox's Paleyfest Scream Queens event, where Slash Film caught up with her and obviously asked about whether she'll be in the sci-fi sequel, currently filming under the direction of Rian Johnson. Although she's sworn to secrecy as the whole cast is, she did confirm she'll appear in the film!

Keeping as tight-lipped as possible (the penalty for disclosing Star Wars spoilers must be around millions of dollars), Lourd said that her role was definitely larger than the one in Force Awakens, which she described as "a little Where's Waldo-y."

The last major question she was asked last Saturday was whether she'd be sharing any more scenes with her mother, the actress who now plays General Leia; in fact, in the films, Lourd plays Leia's lieutenant, so it'd definitely make sense to see them sharing a screen. "Maybe," Lourd answered.

As Comic Book reports, a number of the stars of Force Awakens will be returning for the sequel, which will premiere in December 2017. Besides Lourd and Fisher, other cast members back in a galaxy far away will be Daisy Ridley, John Boyega and original trilogy star Mark Hamill.

Lourd, on her part, comes from Hollywood royalty: she's the third woman in her family to pursue a film actress career. She follows her mother (who mostly works behind the screens as a script doctor these days) and her grandmother, Debbie Reynolds, who lit up the screen in the 1950s with films like the classic musical Singin' in the Rain. Lourd's grandfather, Eddie Fisher, was involved in a few big scandals in his day surrounding the woman who'd become his next wife: Elizabeth Taylor.