Daisy Ridley, who made her Star Wars debut in Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens, also her breakout movie playing Rey in the 2015 movie, made a shocking revelation about her role. The actor candidly revealed that her role in the franchise was physically demanding and took a toll on her.
Ridley is a rising star in Hollywood and has claimed several titles to her credit beyond the umbrella of Star Wars, which includes Murder on the Orient Express, Ophelia, The Marsh King’s Daughter, Sometimes I Think About Dying, and her most recent, Magpie and Young Woman and the Sea. The actor is also booked for another Star Wars movie, New Jedi Order.
Star Wars Anxiety Gave Daisy Ridley Ulcers
Daisy Ridley’s Star Wars debut film Star Wars: The Force Awakens was a massive box office hit and a critical darling. The movie claimed an astounding 93% Rotten Tomatoes score while earning a whopping $2 billion at the global box office (per The Numbers). Ridley’s later movies in the franchise also did fairly well, earning over a billion dollars each.
The success of the actor has been record-breaking, but her commitment to the role was pretty demanding. The actor revealed that the franchise led her to undergo several physical and mental strains that are not easy for any actors to endure. In a chat with The Times, Ridley revealed that the anxiety of joining Star Wars caused her to get ulcers.
I’d never travelled that much, or done press junkets, my body deals with stress in a very physical way… And me going, ‘What’s going on?’ And worrying. Worrying about what? ‘Oh s*it, should it be me?’ or ‘Am I good enough?’ And I only really felt I was by the third film
Understandable, the $10.3 billion George Lucas-created franchise (per The Numbers) is action-packed, which may push some actors beyond their comfort zone. However, in Ridley’s case, it was quite extreme, or so it seems, considering her comment.
Daisy Ridley Feels Lucky To Be A Part Of The Franchise
Although the franchise pushed her to the edge of the limit, Ridley’s break-out role was from the franchise itself and the actor said she is lucky to be a part of one of the most successful franchises in the movie business. “I suppose the truth is, [Star Wars] will always be the first thing that is connected to me in my career,” Ridley recently told Empire.
It’s something I’m aware of, but it’s also not something I feel is a difficulty. I feel very privileged to have done that role, and obviously will continue to. In the business way of things, I’m then lucky to have been able to go and do other stuff because of those films. So I don’t take any of that for granted. I want to be a working actor: that’s my thing. And I’m doing it and it’s pretty fucking great.
Ridley has quite a busy calendar now, the actor has been one of the sought-after actors in Hollywood. The actor will return as Rey in the New Jedi Order with Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy directing. The movie is scheduled for a 2026 release.
Stream the entire Star Wars franchise on Disney+.
