Billie Lourd Reveals Debbie Reynolds' Raw Take on Eddie Fisher & Taylor

**Debbie Reynolds Reveals How She Handled Eddie Fisher’s Affair With Elizabeth Taylor**

Billie Lourd, 34, opened up to *The Times* on September 19 about her grandmother’s reaction to one of Hollywood’s biggest scandals. In the interview, Lourd described how Debbie Reynolds never avoided discussing her husband’s infidelity, even framing it as a “bedtime story” for her family.

The late actress used to share anecdotes about their Palm Springs home and the eventual divorce from Fisher in 1959.

The story is part of a long‑standing family narrative that began when Reynolds and Eddie Fisher married in 1955. They had two children, Carrie Fisher and Todd Fisher, before the marriage ended amid public attention.

The affair that precipitated the split involved Fisher’s relationship with actress Elizabeth Taylor after the death of Taylor’s husband, producer Mike Todd, in a plane crash in March 1958.

Reynolds’ comments on the matter were first aired in an 1988 interview with **.

She recalled being “happily married” at the time but later admitting her view was wrong, saying she “was happy, I was in love, but obviously he was not.” She compared Fisher to a “good race horse” who “gets off really, really good, and then he loses the race,” reflecting the sudden collapse of their marriage.

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## Background & Context

Reynolds and Fisher were a celebrated Hollywood couple during the 1950s. Their home in Palm Springs became a social hub for many of the era’s stars, including Elizabeth Taylor and Mike Todd. When Todd died in March 1958, Fisher began an affair with Taylor that ultimately led to his divorce from Reynolds on May 12, 1959.

Three hours after the divorce was finalized, Fisher and Taylor married—a union that would last until their own split in March 1964.

The affair also attracted attention from the press. Hedda Hopper, a prominent gossip columnist of the time, reported that Taylor defended her actions by quipping, “What do you expect me to do, sleep alone?” This remark encapsulated the way the scandal was discussed publicly, even as it tore through Reynolds’ personal life.

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## The Affair and Reactions

During a dinner party, Reynolds observed whispers among her friends. She recalled feeling that everyone was talking about her, but no one would disclose what they were saying. “I figured it was about me,” she said.

She later pieced together the conversation from words like “Eddie” and “Elizabeth.” In a more reflective tone, Reynolds noted that many people in her social circle seemed to know of the affair before she did, but she viewed this as normal for close friends: “We were all the best of friends, so there’s nothing wrong with that.”

Reynolds’ own words from the *ET* interview paint a picture of resilience. She admitted that at the time of her divorce she was still in love, but that she was wrong about Fisher’s fidelity. The comparison to a “race horse” suggested a sudden loss of something once considered strong and reliable.

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## Legacy and Family Reflections

Billie Lourd highlighted how both her grandmother and mother—Carrie Fisher—were influential figures who passed away one day apart in 2016.

Lourd expressed pride in her lineage, saying, “They really were two of the most talented women of all time and I feel so lucky to live under their glittery umbrellas.” She also acknowledged that she had once tried to distance herself from the family’s public history but has since embraced it openly, stating she is “Carrie Fisher’s daughter and Debbie Reynolds’ granddaughter, and I feel so lucky to be able to say that.”

The story of Reynolds’ handling of the affair remains a rare glimpse into how a Hollywood matriarch dealt with personal betrayal.

By sharing her grandmother’s candid reflections, Billie Lourd has provided a new perspective on a decades‑old scandal, underscoring both the private and public dimensions of one of cinema’s most storied relationships.