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Culture November 19, 2018

Billie Lourd on how she coped with the death of her mother Carrie Fisher

WATCH: George Lucas, Billie Lourd pay tribute to Carrie Fisher at Star Wars Celebration

Billie Lourd suffered two very painful, public losses when both her mother, Carrie Fisher, and grandmother, Debbie Reynolds, died in December 2016.

The 26-year-old actress recently revealed that a large part of her coping process can be credited to working on “American Horror Story” and the show's creator, Ryan Murphy.

She just wrapped up season 8 of the hit FX show, "AHS: Apocalypse," after joining its seventh season in 2017.

"When Ryan offered me Cult, it was just a few months after my mom passed, and it honestly helped me process all of my emotions through these characters," Lourd told "Entertainment Tonight."

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??????Tfw you realize the finale of #AHSapocalypse is on tonight!! Hide yo kids hold on to yo medallions y’all!!

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MORE: Billie Lourd on life after losing Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds

"Being able to cry for Winter helped me cry for myself," she said about the connection she shares to her character in the seventh season.

"And it's been really healing and cathartic in an amazing way, and getting to be around all the incredible people on set, they've become like a family to me, and I cannot thank Ryan enough," she added. "Honestly, it kind of saved my life."

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MORE: Billie Lourd Shares Throwback Photo of Mom Carrie Fisher

Lourd said she’s formed incredible bonds with her costars on "AHS: Apocalypse."

"These women are some of my best friends now. Leslie Grossman, Sarah [Paulson], Emma [Roberts], it's incredible to be on set with them," she told "ET." "I feel so lucky, I pinch myself every day. It's so fun."

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?????????? This #legendarylady #iconicchick #magicalgal #wife4life is making her ?directorial debut? on tonight’s episode of @ahsfx and I’m so #proudfamily and #buhhhlesssssed to know her I could throw up joy #queendirecther @mssarahcatharinepaulson

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Lourd said working on the show has been "challenging" yet "so much fun."

"I would do as many seasons as they would offer me," Lourd said. "And I would do anything Ryan asked me to do. I trust him with all of my heart."

She also wholeheartedly supports the female empowerment theme in season eight.

"It means so much more because of the #MeToo movement," she said. "Getting to watch all of us be more powerful than even the antichrist, it was so inspirational, I think, and such a great message for young girls and women out there."

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Feeling Witchy

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This is Lourd’s second project with Murphy. She also starred in Fox’s "Scream Queens" for two seasons before it was canceled in 2016.