Billie Lourd Auditioned for a Big Star Wars Role – And Almost Got It

Billie Lourd almost landed the role of Rey in Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

The 25-year-old actress – the daughter of the late Star Wars legend Carrie Fisher, who played Princess Leia – starred as Lt. Kaydel Ko Connix alongside her mother in the seventh installment of the sci-fi franchise, but could have portrayed a bigger part.

Speaking on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Lourd said: “J.J Abrams called me to come in for ‘Star Wars’ because he couldn’t find someone for the lead. He ended up finding Daisy Ridley, who’s an incredible actress. I was super excited. I didn’t know what was going to happen and ended up going and fell in love with it.”

Rey was first introduced in The Force Awakens and is a mysterious orphan who is able to use the Force, but her parentage is a subject of mystery.

Lourd is set to reprise her role in The Last Jedi alongside her mother, who will make a posthumous appearance as Princess Leia in the upcoming film after passing away in December aged 60.

John Boyega, who stars as former Stormtrooper Finn, revealed in August that the movie pays homage to the star.

Speaking to ABC News, the 25-year-old actor said: “We really enjoyed each other’s company. I was in Nigeria when we found out [about her death]. It was a strange, strange feeling. I felt like everyone in the cast went silent for a bit after that … [But] this movie, it sends her off in an amazing, amazing way.”