An Older, Wiser, Daisy Ridley is Ready to Conquer ‘Star Wars’ Again
The Star Wars fandom is not for the faint of heart. While the majority of the fan base eats up the franchise’s new content and has embraced formerly embattled stars like Ahmed Best and Hayden Christensen, there is a small yet vocal minority online who will never be satisfied.
This dark side of the Star Wars fanbase has reared its head with its reception of Moses Ingram as Reva in Obi-Wan Kenobi and even Daisy Ridley’s Rey Skywalker in the sequel trilogy.
When Ridley’s performance as Rey launched her to superstardom, the new Jedi became a hero to millions of Star Wars fans and the face of the franchise. She also had her detractors.
With Ridley set to return to a galaxy far, far away, the “controversy” surrounding her character has begun to flair up again.
Luckily, Ridley knows the true spirit of Star Wars fans across the globe and is taking the vocal minority’s complaints in stride.
Walking Into the ‘Star Wars’ Fire
When Ridley was cast as Rey for Star Wars: The Force Awakens, director J.J. Abrams tried to warn her about the magnitude of the role she had landed.
“Understand the scale, he said. “This is not a role in a movie. This is a religion for people. It changes things on a level that is inconceivable.”
While Ridley was warned ahead of time, there was no way that she could be prepared for the whirlwind that would follow.
Being thrust into the Star Wars spotlight would eventually cause Ridley’s anxiety to become so severe that she developed holes in her stomach wall.
“When all of the craziness was going on,” she now recalls, “I was like, ‘I’m good. I’m good. I’m coping fine. Everything’s fine.’ And I was fine, for the most part. But I think what I was really grappling with was that it was my normal, but it was not normal to other people.”
When Ridley finally saw the completed Force Awakens, she thought she had “ruined Star Wars.”
“Honestly, the first time I watched myself on screen, I literally thought I ruined Star Wars,” Ridley, 31, told Inverse.
A Conquering Hero
Now, Ridley is set to return to Star Wars, older and wiser. When the now-veteran actress took the stage at Star Wars Celebration 2023, she received a hero’s welcome.
“I definitely have more grace now for it,” Ridley says. “It’s funny now, too, because that was 10 years ago. So, if anything comes on the TV, I’m like, ‘Oh, I’m a baby! Oh my God, that’s me as a baby!’ I wouldn’t say it’s easier, but I’ve had to become more comfortable.”
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