Daisy Ridley turned down an 'amazing' movie because the director gave off a 'really weird vibe'
Daisy Ridley, known for her role in 'Star Wars', once turned down a movie role because she got a "weird vibe" from the director. The actor, now 32, shared in a 2019 interview with The Guardian that she liked the script but decided against taking the role after meeting the director, as reported by Koimoi.
“I had an amazing script and then a meeting with the director and it was just really weird, like, a really weird vibe. Then Hylda (her agent Hylda Queally) had a conversation with the director and was, like, ‘Nope – no, you’re not doing it’,” Ridley said. She explained that working on 'Star Wars', which she joined in 2015 with 'The Force Awakens', taught her to say no. “Star Wars has given me the opportunity to do smaller things and allowed me to say no, which is glorious. I don’t talk a lot about various things because there are people fighting the good fight, and I know I have safety in that the people I have worked with have loud voices."
She added, "Well, there was another film I really wanted to do, but there were a number of factors that meant I didn’t believe it was right. Well, it wasn’t equal and all that stuff, so I said no, even though that’s really scary. But how much of a blessing is it to be able to say no?” At the time of the interview, Ridley was preparing for the release of 'The Rise of Skywalker', the final film in the 'Star Wars' sequel trilogy, which came out in December 2019.
As of February 2025, Daisy Ridley is working on several exciting projects and has also shared updates about her health. She remains active in the film industry, taking on different roles that showcase her talent. One of her recent movies is 'Magpie', a thriller where she plays a mother named Anette. The story follows her life as it begins to fall apart when her daughter gets a role in a film alongside a famous actress, People reported. Another big project she worked on was 'Young Woman and the Sea', where she played Gertrude Ederle, the first woman to swim across the English Channel in 1926. For this role, Ridley had to train hard in swimming to bring the character to life.
In addition to her acting career, Ridley recently opened up about her health. In 2023, she was diagnosed with Graves’ disease, an autoimmune condition that affects the thyroid. She experienced symptoms like a racing heart, weight loss, and extreme tiredness, as reported by Entertainment Weekly. At first, she thought it was just stress from work. Since her diagnosis, she has made changes to her lifestyle, including eating less gluten and trying treatments like cryotherapy and acupuncture to help manage the condition. For 'Star Wars' fans, there is good news. Ridley is set to return as Rey in an upcoming 'Star Wars' movie. This new film will focus on Rey’s journey as she rebuilds the Jedi Order after the events of 'The Rise of Skywalker'. Although there aren’t many details yet, Ridley has shared that she is excited about the project.