Honestly, if you missed the mid-2010s cult fever dream that was Scream Queens, you missed Billie Lourd at her absolute peak of deadpan weirdness.
Most people know her now from American Horror Story or for being the literal heir to Hollywood royalty. But before she was fighting the apocalypse or starring in Booksmart, she was Sadie Swenson. Better known as Chanel No. 3. The girl with the fuzzy earmuffs and a biological father who just happened to be Charles Manson.
It was a vibe. A very specific, very strange vibe.
The Earmuffs That Changed Everything
You probably think those earmuffs were just a quirky fashion choice by the costume department. They weren't.
Actually, they were a total accident that turned into a legacy. During the initial fittings for Scream Queens, Billie Lourd saw a pair of earmuffs sitting on the table. Nobody else wanted them. Abigail Breslin passed. Emma Roberts didn't touch them. But Lourd? She felt a "genetic pull" toward them.
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It was a silent, fluffy tribute to her mother, Carrie Fisher.
In real life, Lourd was winking at the world about Princess Leia's iconic buns. In the show’s universe, the writers had to scramble to explain why this girl was wearing winter gear in a Southern sorority house. The solution was peak Ryan Murphy: a crazed stalker was obsessed with her ears and threatened to lop them off if he ever saw them again. Problem solved.
Why Scream Queens Billie Lourd Still Rules the Internet
There’s something about her delivery that just works. It’s flat. It’s robotic. It’s somehow both terrifying and hilarious.
While Emma Roberts was busy being the high-octane, screaming lead, Lourd was the anchor. She’d drop lines about her "ali-buddy" or her lack of emotions with a face so still it looked like a marble statue. Most actors try too hard to be funny. Lourd did the opposite. She leaned into the void.
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Behind the Scenes Realities
- The "Rumor Has It" Walk: Ryan Murphy used to make the Chanels walk to the beat of Adele’s Rumor Has It. He’d literally run behind them shouting the lyrics to make sure they had the right amount of sass and speed.
- Learning on the Fly: Scream Queens was actually Lourd’s first big TV gig. She’s admitted in interviews that she was stressed out during the first few episodes. She didn’t know how "coverage" worked—the technical side of filming where the camera is on someone else. She spent the first few weeks crying or kissing people with 100% intensity even when the camera wasn't on her, thinking she had to be "on" at all times.
- The Camping Trip: The cast was surprisingly tight. They once went on a camping trip where Lourd and Ariana Grande bonded over bead-making, Sour Patch Kids, and hummus.
The chemistry between the Chanels wasn't just good acting; it was a bunch of young actresses having the time of their lives in a show that knew exactly how ridiculous it was.
Is a Reboot Actually Happening in 2026?
The rumors never die. They’re like a slasher villain in a basement.
Ryan Murphy has been teasing a Scream Queens revival for years. Every time he posts a photo of Lourd or Roberts, the internet loses its collective mind. As of early 2026, the chatter has reached a fever pitch. Murphy has explicitly stated that he, Lourd, and Roberts have "mused" on a six-episode limited series or a catch-up movie.
Lourd herself has stayed close to the Murphy camp, appearing in almost every season of American Horror Story since the Red Devil hung up his mask. She’s become a muse for that specific brand of campy horror.
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Whether we get a Season 3 or not, the impact of Chanel No. 3 is permanent. She proved that you don't have to be the loudest person in the room to be the most memorable. Sometimes, you just need a monotone voice, a dark family secret, and a pair of very fluffy earmuffs.
What to Do Next
If you're looking to dive deeper into the world of scream queens billie lourd, here is the most effective way to track her best work:
- Watch Season 1 of Scream Queens first: Focus on episode six, where the backstory of the earmuffs and her "Manson" lineage really takes center stage.
- Pivot to American Horror Story: Cult: This is where Lourd proved she had serious dramatic range beyond the "Chanel" persona. Ryan Murphy has cited her performance as Winter Anderson as the moment he realized she could carry a series on her own.
- Check out Booksmart: Her role as Gigi is basically Chanel No. 3 if she discovered psychedelics and a zest for life. It’s the spiritual successor to her horror-comedy roots.
The "Scream Queen" label used to be a trap for actresses. For Billie Lourd, it was a launching pad. She didn't just survive the slasher genre; she made it weirder, cooler, and a lot more deadpan.