Daisy Ridley: The Force to Be Reckoned With in Star Wars
Daisy Ridley is an experienced actress and a force to be reckoned with in the Star Wars franchise. Her career began in 2011 when she was discovered by Scrawl Films after she filmed a self-made audition tape. Just four years later, she was cast as the lead role in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, as the iconic Rey. Here’s an inside look at the career of Daisy Ridley and how she’s become a major star in the world of Star Wars.
Early Career and Rise to Fame
Before Ridley found her success in the Star Wars universe, she got her start in the industry in 2013 starring in film, TV, and even theater productions. Some of her pre-Star Wars work includes starring in the film Scrawl, playing one of the characters in the British television series “Mr. Selfridge,” and performing on stage in London’s West End.
Ridley was working as a bartender to pay her bills between gigs when she was summoned for an audition for Star Wars: The Force Awakens. After a series of auditions and callbacks that lasted over six months, she was cast in the role of Rey.
Star Wars: The Force Awakens
The Force Awakens marked Ridley’s first major movie role, and she received widespread praise for her performance. Commenting on her success, director J.J. Abrams called her skill as an actor “stunning” and said, “It was immediately clear that Daisy was special.”
The box-office success of the movie made Daisy an international star. She won a Scream Award for Best Female Performance, a MTV Movie Award for Best Breakthrough Performance, and was even nominated for a British Academy Film Award for her performance in the movie.
Star Wars: The Last Jedi
In The Last Jedi, Ridley reprised her role of Rey, which has been met with similar critical acclaim as the previous Star Wars films. The movie is set to have the second-highest grossing opening weekend of any movie in the U.S. and Canada.
Ridley has said that being part of the cast of The Last Jedi has been an incredible experience for her. She said, “Rey is an incredibly independent and strong character who knows what she wants and goes for it – I find that incredibly empowering”.
Other Star Wars Appearances
In addition to appearing in the Star Wars films, Ridley has also appeared in other Star Wars-related media. In 2015, she provided the voice for Rey in the video game, Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens. That same year, she also starred in a video as part of Disney’s Force Friday campaign. This video focused on Daisy’s character of Rey and introduced Star Wars fans to the new line of Rey merchandise.
Ridley also lent her voice to the 2016 animated movie, Star Wars: Forces of Destiny. She voiced the role of Rey in two episodes of the series and also wrote an episode that focuses on her character.
Charity Work
Ridley is also active in charity work. She is an ambassador for the charity, the UN-affiliated NGO, Save the Children International. Through this charity, she advocates for children’s rights and speaks out about issues like poverty and gender equality.
She also actively works with other charities, like the avian conservation organization BirdLife International and the global literacy campaign Room to Read.
Future Projects
When she’s not busy with Star Wars, Daisy has worked on a variety of other projects. She has appeared in the films Murder on the Orient Express and Peter Rabbit, and will soon be appearing in the upcoming films Ophelia and Chaos Walking. She also stars in the James Bond-style thriller, Kolma.
Ridley is also a committed advocate for mental health. In 2018, she joined the fight to end the stigma around mental health and co-founded a creative platform and foundation, IG Face Your Fears, to provide resources and discussion around the topic of mental health.
Daisy Ridley is an incredibly talented actress who has become a major player in the Star Wars franchise. She is widely beloved by fans due to her strong performance as the character Rey and for her charitable works. Ridley continues to make waves in Hollywood with her performances in films, TV shows, and theater productions, as well as her involvement in charitable endeavors. With her star continuing to rise, she is a force to be reckoned with in the world of Star Wars.
