Why Lark From AHS: Double Feature Episode 2 Looks So Familiar
"American Horror Story" has become one of FX's longest-running franchises to date, notable for telling wildly different stories from season to season. In 2021, the show officially debuted its latest incarnation, "American Horror Story: Double Feature." The two-part horror anthology has a stacked cast of both new and returning players, but one of the most interesting performances of the bunch comes from a character named Leslie "Lark" Feldman.
For many discerning viewers, the actress who portrays Lark in "American Horror Story: Double Feature" likely looks familiar. That's because she is portrayed by Billie Lourd, an up-and-coming actress who is also Hollywood royalty — because not only has Lourd become one of the industry's most interesting performers in recent years, but she is also the daughter of the late, great "Star Wars" icon, Carrie Fisher.
At 29, Lourd already has a stellar list of credits, so let's dive in and take a look at some of her biggest and most notable roles to date.
Billie Lourd was a scream queen on Scream Queens
Though Billie Lourd is now turning heads for her performance in FX's horror anthology series, she is no newcomer to the horror genre. That's because one of her earliest notable roles came with her performance on Fox's "Scream Queens." In the series, Lourd portrayed Sadie Swenson, one of the show's main characters and titular scream queens.
"Scream Queens" owes much of its inspiration to the trope of the "final girl" so prevalent in the horror genre. So much so that the show's cast even included horror legend Jamie Lee Curtis, who burst on to the Hollywood scene with her role as Laurie Strode in John Carpenter's "Halloween" in 1978, setting the standard for those who followed. "Scream Queens" was co-created by "American Horror Story" producer Ryan Murphy, who teased a possible third season as recently as 2020 (via Digital Spy). It's an exciting notion for many fans of the series (not to mention fans of Billie Lourd), but whether or not it will actually happen remains to be seen.
Billie Lourd starred alongside her mother in Star Wars: The Force Awakens
One of Billie Lourd's most important roles to date is that of Lieutenant Kaydel Ko Connix in the "Star Wars" sequel trilogy. Her first appearance came in 2015's "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" under the direction of J. J. Abrams, with Connix standing out as one of the many resistance fighters who plan the attack on Starkiller Base. Though she never gets to jump into the cockpit of an X-Wing in the final battle of the film, she does play an integral role in the control room –- not unlike Princess Leia in "A New Hope."
Connix never becomes a central character in the films, but she does appears in every sequel trilogy entry in some capacity. Notably, much of her screen time is spent near General Leia, portrayed by her mother Carrie Fisher. According to an article written by Lourd in Time Magazine, she even worked with J. J. Abrams to figure out how the "Star Wars" franchise would handle the passing of Fisher as they wrapped up Leia's story. The "Star Wars" films have always been about family and the legacies we leave behind, so for Lourd to act alongside her mother stands out as one of the most symbolically important elements of the new films.
Billie Lourd worked with Ryan Murphy on American Horror Story: Cult
"American Horror Story: Double Feature" is not only far from being Billie Lourd's first time collaborating with Ryan Murphy: it's also not her first time getting involved in an "American Horror Story" season, either. The actress has become one of the regularly featured players in the "American Horror Story" universe, with her first major role in the franchise coming in the "Cult" season.
In "Cult," Lourd portrayed two characters: the first (and primary) was Winter Anderson, the sister of villainous cult leader Kai (Evan Peters), who finds herself pushed into joining up with his group. The episode "Charles (Manson) in Charge" also saw Lourd portray Linda Kasabian, one of Charles Manson's followers who was associated with the infamous Tate-LaBianca murders.
Overall, the season received positive reviews among critics when it debuted back in 2017, and as of right now, this particular season of the long-running FX series holds a 73% on Rotten Tomatoes. In the years since, Lourd has gone on to appear in several other seasons of "American Horror Story," including "Apocalypse" (where she played Mallory) and "1984" (where she was Montana Duke).
Billie Lourd partied before graduation in Booksmart
Billie Lourd has appeared across a wide range of genres during her time in Hollywood. Though she has arguably spent the most amount of time in the horror world due to her collaborations with Ryan Murphy, she has also proven that — like her mother — she has some serious comedy chops as well. In fact, arguably no film on her resume proves that better than her role in Olivia Wilde's 2019 coming-of-age comedy, "Booksmart."
In Booksmart, Lourd portrays Gigi, a drug-using free spirit who befriends Molly (Beanie Feldstein) and Amy (Kaitlyn Dever). Playing Gigi as wise beyond her years (while also showing the character having an immense wild side), Lourd gives the film a strong sense of manic energy and adds to the surreal nature of many of its best scenes.
"Booksmart" proved to be a massive success with critics upon its release in 2019, and the film currently sits with a 96% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Billie Lourd appeared in the Will & Grace revival
No stranger to both the film and television landscapes, Billie Lourd made the jump to multi-camera sitcoms in 2020 with her guest role on the "Will & Grace" revival. In the series, Lourd portrayed Fiona Adler –- the niece to Debra Messing's Grace Adler. In her one-episode stint, she appears in an attempt to reconnect with Grace after a long absence from each other's lives.
One of the most interesting aspects of Billie Lourd's brief tenure on the final season of "Will & Grace" is that she actually got to pay tribute to her family legacy with the series. That's because Fiona Adler is the granddaughter of Bobbi Adler, who was portrayed by Lourd's real-life grandmother Debbie Reynolds. Debbie Reynolds, unfortunately, passed away in December 2016, just one day after the passing of her daughter, Carrie Fisher.
At 29, Lourd likely has a long and illustrious career ahead of her. Make sure to keep watching her character evolve as "American Horror Story: Double Feature" continues on FX.