The actress who will reprise her role as Rey in the next 'Star Wars' movie recalls her reaction when it was announced she would be back in the sci-fi franchise.
- Nov 25, 2023
AceShowbiz - Daisy Ridley was "petrified" and "overwhelmed" when her return to the "Star Wars" universe was confirmed. The 31-year-old actress found fame playing Rey in 2015's "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" and she returned for two more films, but it was recently announced she will be reprising her role for another movie - which will be directed by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy - and Daisy has admitted she was worried about the response from fans.
"When I was at Sundance, I did not know ... I had a breakfast with Kathy [Kennedy] that I thought was just breakfast. And then it [the new movie] was mentioned, so I thought about it," she told The Hollywood Reporter.
"I loved the story, and I was like, 'Okay.' Things then happened quite quickly, and it felt like I was instantaneously on a stage being introduced by Sharmeen. It honestly took me back to being 20 or 21, however old I was, when [Star Wars: The Force Awakens] was announced. I was petrified, I was overwhelmed, I was really nervous but the response was really wonderful."
Daisy went on to reveal she hasn't seen the script for the new movie, but she knows the storyline and is thrilled to be returning as Rey. She added, "I'm genuinely really excited about the next one. I haven't read anything, but I know the story. It's really worth telling, worth exploring, and I think people will be excited."
Daisy echoed the comments in an interview with Collider in which she added, "I was so nervous. Oh my God. It was such a wonderful reception. I'm very excited. The story is really cool. I'm waiting to read a script because, obviously, I don't have any other updates. It's not what I expected, but I'm very excited."
The new movie was announced during the "Star Wars Celebration" in London earlier this year when it was revealed the film will be set 15 years after 2019's "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker".
Director Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy explained the film will "tell the story of rebuilding the New Jedi Order and the powers that rise to tear it down." She added, "I've always been attracted to the hero's journey and the fact that the world needs many more heroes."
The filmmaker added she had been immersing herself in a Jedi Academy with a "powerful Jedi master."
The event also revealed two other "Star Wars" films in the pipeline, including one from James Mangold and another from "The Mandalorian" executive producer Dave Filoni and producer Jon Favreau.
"Logan" filmmaker James will be delving into the past to tell the tale of the first Jedi to "wield the Force and harness it as a liberating power in an era of chaos and oppression" while the third film will be set in the present and will document the escalating war between the Imperial Remnant and the fledgling New Republic in a plot that promises to "being together many of the threats of the 'Star Wars' original series."
