Daisy Ridley

• 1. London Roots And Academic Detour

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  Daisy Jazz Isobel Ridley was born on the 10th of April 1992 in the London borough of Westminster. She grew up in Maida Vale as the youngest of three daughters. Her father Christopher worked as a photographer while her mother Louise handled internal communications for a bank. The Fawkner-Corbetts family on her mother's side were landed gentry with military and medical backgrounds. Her paternal great-uncle Arnold Ridley served in the military before becoming a playwright and actor known for playing Private Godfrey in Dad's Army. John Harry Dunn Ridley, Daisy's grandfather, headed the Engineering Secretariat at the BBC from 1950 to 1965.

  Ridley attended Tring Park School for the Performing Arts in Hertfordshire from age nine until eighteen. She later studied classical civilisation at Birkbeck University of London but dropped out to pursue acting professionally. Before landing her breakthrough role she worked as a bartender for over a year at two different pubs in London. In 2016 she began studying social science through online courses with the Open University. Her favourite childhood film was Matilda which she viewed as a role model.

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• 2. The Casting Of A New Hope

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  In February 2014 the casting of Ridley as Rey in Star Wars: The Force Awakens was announced. At that time Rolling Stone described her as a total unknown. Director J. J. Abrams chose her as a repeat of George Lucas' strategy to cast relatively unknown actors for lead roles in the first Star Wars film in 1977. Filming began in May 2014 at Pinewood Studios in Buckinghamshire. Prior to the December 2015 release she appeared at the launch of Star Wars postage stamps issued by Royal Mail featuring Rey alongside BB-8.

  The film generated international revenues exceeding $2 billion making it the highest-grossing movie of 2015. Richard Roeper called her portrayal a breakout performance noting Harrison Ford's father figure chemistry with both Ridley and John Boyega. Critics praised her ability to carry a massive franchise while remaining largely unrecognised before the project. She received multiple awards including Breakthrough Film Artist from the Central Ohio Film Critics Association and Best Hero from MTV Movie Awards.

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• 3. Genre Hopping And Critical Reception

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  Ridley portrayed Mary Debenham in Murder on the Orient Express which began production in London in November 2016. Directed by Kenneth Branagh the adaptation of Agatha Christie's novel premiered in 2017. She reprised her role as Rey opposite Mark Hamill in Star Wars: The Last Jedi released that same December. In January 2018 she starred as Ophelia in a reimagining of the Hamlet tale filmed between April and July 2017. The project debuted at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival alongside Naomi Watts and Clive Owen.

  Her voice work included Cottontail in Peter Rabbit released in February 2018 based on Beatrix Potter's children's stories. Chaos Walking arrived on the 5th of March 2021 where she played Viola Eade opposite Tom Holland. The film faced delays due to poor test screenings and the COVID-19 pandemic before receiving negative reviews and becoming a box-office flop. She lent her voice to Twelve Minutes a point-and-click mystery game released in 2021 alongside James McAvoy and Willem Dafoe. Critics praised her performance in the video game despite mixed reactions to other projects.

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• 4. Behind The Camera And Voice

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  Ridley became executive producer of The Eagle Huntress documentary which premiered at Sundance on the 24th of January 2016. She recorded narration for the film's wide release and appeared on Barbra Streisand's 2016 album Encore: Movie Partners Sing Broadway performing At the Ballet from A Chorus Line. In 2021 she shot Sometimes I Think About Dying in Astoria Oregon with Rachel Lambert directing while Ridley served as first-time main producer. She starred in Magpie a contemporary noir thriller written by partner Tom Bateman based on her original story idea.

  Her production credits expanded further with Young Woman and the Sea a biopic for Walt Disney Pictures about Gertrude Ederle. She voiced Marguerite in The Inventor a French stop motion animated film released in the United States on the 15th of September 2023. Ridley hosted True Spies podcast miniseries about Lee Harvey Oswald starting July 2023. She signed on for Mind Fall a sci-fi mystery thriller directed by Mathieu Kassovitz in October 2021. Her voice work included characters in Disney Infinity 3.0 Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens and Star Wars Battlefront II.

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• 5. Health Battles And Private Life

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  Ridley resides in Primrose Hill London where she has lived since becoming an adult. Since 2017 she has been in a relationship with actor Tom Bateman whom she met on the set of Murder on the Orient Express. They married in January 2023 during the Sundance Film Festival. In 2016 she revealed being diagnosed with endometriosis and polycystic ovary syndrome at age fifteen requiring multiple laparoscopic surgery procedures. Acne following these conditions left her feeling low in self-confidence.

  Graves' disease was diagnosed in 2023 causing racing heart rate weight loss and fatigue among other symptoms. Ridley follows a vegan diet as part of her lifestyle choices. These health struggles occurred alongside her rising fame and required significant personal management while maintaining a demanding filming schedule across multiple continents including Ontario Canada and Astoria Oregon.

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• 6. Digital Silence And Return

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  Following the 2016 Teen Choice Awards which paid tribute to victims of gun violence Ridley posted anti-gun violence messages on Instagram and Facebook. Critics accused her of hypocrisy regarding the violence depicted in her Star Wars films prompting public backlash. She deleted both social media accounts citing distractions from busy months ahead. In 2017 she reiterated that social media is highly unhealthy for mental health including hers. A 2019 interview saw her vowing never to return to digital platforms.

  On the 4th of April 2022 Ridley returned to Instagram after six years off the platform. Her first post showed her sipping tea during self-care activities described as refreshed recharged and ready for her Year of Yes. Co-star Leslie Odom Jr. and Chewbacca actor Joonas Suotamo welcomed her back to the platform. The return marked a shift from complete digital absence to selective engagement with fans and colleagues.

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