Top 5 Things You Didn't Know About Daisy Ridley

Or at least, she wasn’t. While other actors are quick to spill their deepest love for whichever franchise they’ve recently signed on to, Daisy took an unconventional approach in 2015 by admitting that the “Star Wars” hype had previously passed her by. In fact, she even says that not seeing the first six movies was a help when she took on the role of Rey. She’s a five-star fangirl now, though. She lists Yoda as her favourite character, and she has a soft spot for the theory that Rey and Jar Jar Binks are somehow related. Read into that what you will.

Instead of listing a bunch of big-name actors whenever she’s asked about her inspirations, Daisy heads back to the ‘90s, citing the eponymous hero in “Matilda”. A part played by Mara Wilson in 1996, the super-smart and unusually gifted bookworm was Ridley’s idol as a child. As a “Star Wars” fan herself, Wilson was super-psyched by the revelation – as were thousands of followers. To be fair, given Matilda’s telekinetic abilities, the links between her and the Jedi aren’t all that tenuous. And she’s not the only bridge between Ridley and classic characters. Her great uncle was in “Dad’s Army” [1], so acting is in her genes.

Realising that her rapid rise to fame gave her a platform to inspire others, Daisy took to Instagram in 2016 to speak about her ongoing struggle with endometriosis. A chronic condition which sees tissue that usually lines the uterus developing elsewhere, Daisy was diagnosed with the disorder when she was 15. She revealed that subsequent problems with her skin had left her short of confidence, and she explained related concerns over polycystic ovaries. The actress was widely praised for sharing her experiences, leading thousands of other women to follow suit. Great stuff!

To get to that ‘galaxy far, far away’, Ridley underwent some serious training. The star got into “Star Wars” shape with intense daily routines for three months before filming, posting most of her exercise drills online. And then there’s the lightsabre-practice, which looks fun, but also very difficult. Speaking with Elle Magazine in the run-up to “The Force Awakens”, she also shed light on her strict Rey-worthy diet (which was mostly comprised of fish). And it’s an ongoing effort for the actress, given that she’ll feature in at least three “Star Wars” films. We pity any enemy who gets in her way.

#1: Her Past Roles