Daisy Ridley, known for her role as Rey in Star Wars, hasn’t lost hope in dealing with toxic and s*xist fans of the franchise. Despite all the fan drama, she remains committed to facing issues as she preps for Rey Skywalker in the upcoming film ahead of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.
The actress who portrayed Rey in the sequels, including The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi, and The Rise of Skywalker, is defying the belief that the Star Wars fandom no longer wants her in the universe. It seems the England native is making a move to win back Star Wars fans.
Daisy Ridley Defends Star Wars Fans Amid Backlash
Daisy Ridley spills on her return to the Star Wars universe on The TODAY Show on January 25th, throwing in a bit of PR wizardry for good.
While expressing her joy about returning as Rey, Ridley got a question from host Dylan Dryer about the internet buzz on some Star Wars fans not wanting a female director.
The host said that it “seems bizarre because episodes of The Mandalorian were directed by females” and that “Kathleen Kennedy has been overseeing all of this.” In turn, Ridley asserted:
“I think my take is, things get blown out of proportion and the interactions that I’ve had with people have been nothing but wonderful and supportive. And honestly the day that we announced that I was coming back at [Star Wars] Celebration last year, you cannot imagine the joy and goodwill in that room. I’ve only ever been embraced, and I think we’re gonna make a great film for people.”
Why does Ridley’s change in stance on toxic and s*xist Star Wars fans seem like a PR stunt? Back in 2016, she argued, “The Mary Sue thing in itself is s*xist because it’s the name of a woman,” telling Josh Horowitz on an episode of his Happy Sad Confused podcast.
The actress defended Rey’s character as vulnerable and driven by a sense of duty. Now, siding with fans seems dubious, and she’s done this a few times recently.
Daisy Ridley’s Defense Moves: PR or Genuine Support?
Earlier this month, Daisy Ridley was asked by the French entertainment news outlet AlloCiné about her feelings during the surprise unveiling of the Rey film at last year’s Star Wars Celebration. The 31-year-old said:
“It was wonderful, and the thing about those conventions are everyone is really lovely, and everyone’s really lovely to each other, and I think a lot of the time people online sort of make out there was discourse or whatever it is that actually isn’t shared by a lot of people and my experience has always been very welcomed. People have been very kind, even if they wanted the story to go here or there or everywhere. It’s always like a conversation that’s respectful.”
The Chaos Walking star has faced enough criticism for her role as Rey and is now receiving backlash for returning to another Rey Skywalker movie. In response, she is defending Star Wars fans, stating that she’s receiving a lot of support. Perhaps she wants to present a positive image despite the criticism.
Also read: Star Wars: Andor Teases Second Return of Hayden Christensen’s Darth Vader After Obi-Wan Kenobi
Watch Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Star Wars: The Last Jedi, and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker featuring Daisy Ridley on Disney+.
