Daisy Ridley remembers when she was described as intimidating while on the set of Chaos Walking. The British actress became an international star when she was cast as scavenger Rey in Disney's Star Wars sequel trilogy. She first made her debut in The Force Awakens and appeared in all three films, which culminated in last year's The Rise of Skywalker. Though the overall trilogy was met with mixed responses from fans, Ridley's performance was praised, and fans responded positively to Rey. However, The Rise of Skywalker looks to be the last time Ridley will portray the powerful character.
Aside from Star Wars, Ridley has scored a handful of other notable roles, such as Ophelia and Murder on the Orient Express. Her next major project, Chaos Walking, puts her opposite Tom Holland in a dystopian world where all women have ceased to exist and the surviving men can hear each other's thoughts. Chaos Walking has experienced a difficult road to the big screen, having been delayed numerous times since it was first announced. Most recently, Chaos Walking was bumped from January 2021 to March 2021.
In an upcoming profile with the British magazine Tatler (via Yahoo), Ridley recalled a moment on the set of Chaos Walking where she was described as, to her surprise, intimidating. This came while reflecting on some of the strange feedback she has received over the years. "I’ve been told that I’m intimidating," Ridley said. "That was on Chaos Walking. I was having my hair done, having my wig put on. I remember thinking, ‘God, should I be smaller? Should I be quieter?’" She then added that she's also been told "My energy is ‘quite aggressive’" by a director. Ridley went on to say, "I was thinking: ‘But why? Is it because I maintained eye contact? Is it because I’m passionate about what we’re talking about?’ I dunno. You have that horrible sinking feeling of, ‘God, do I not come across the way I think I do?’"
Based on Ridley's shocked and worried reaction, it sounds like she didn't intend to come across as either of those things. Elsewhere in the profile, Ridley explained how the media frenzy that came from Star Wars led her to try and keep her personal life private, which could contribute to the reception she got while making Chaos Walking. Much like others who have appeared in the Star Wars franchise, Ridley has been under intense scrutiny for years; it's no surprise she might keep a cooler demeanor.
Ridley has spoken openly in the past about various struggles that have popped up in her career, including the fact that she hasn't found much work since Star Wars ended. Should Chaos Walking prove to be a success, it could give Ridley another franchise for her filmography. Even if it doesn't, though, there will surely be others eager to work with her in the coming years. Hopefully they won't be put off by her deceptively intimidating vibe.
Source: Tatler (via Yahoo)
