Having not been familiar with Star Wars growing up meant that Daisy Ridley didn’t realize the importance of the role she was taking on as Rey in Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Even more so as a female lead character that Producer & President of Lucasfilm, Kathleen Kennedy, said would be the Luke Skywalker of our generation…Wow! (More on my interview with Kathleen on Wed.).

Now that she is aware of how huge the Star Wars saga is, she is still humble as ever but I imagine that will still be the case once the movie releases and she is an instant super star (Does that mean I can say, “I interviewed her when…?”.

Leanette Fernandez interviewing Daisy Ridley

In addition to being beautiful, Daisy is also smart and funny. As I listened to her speak in that cool accent of hers I jotted down some notes. Here are some of the really interesting things she had to say about Star Wars: The Force Awakens and more…

Star Wars The Force Awakens Interview with Daisy Ridley

A movie she often thought of when preparing for her role

Matilda is her favorite film and though the stories of the 2 films are essentially different they are both about being in a place that isn’t fulfilling and that isn’t emotionally giving you what you need….It’s about going “on a journey and of self discovery and pushing yourself beyond limits and meeting people who bring the best out of you.”

The benefits of not knowing the global reach of the Star Wars Saga

“I’m glad I kind of didn’t know how far it reached…I think that would have been quite overwhelming if I had been dealing with that while also dealing with the fact that I’m just a young girl being thrust into this thing…”

“Because it was really only at the convention this year, the first convention we did, that I was like oh my god. There are a lot of people here. And everyone is here for the same reason. Um, I was already dealing with that so I’m glad that I wasn’t dealing with the rest of the stuff. Um, even during it, sometimes I was like- like really cool…it’s nice for me that I don’t have that sense and I still enjoy it as I do, because I think not everyone is a super fan…to be a representative of those other people is great.”

Her audition process

“My audition process was very long. I’ve never been as nervous for an audition as I was for it, I turned up an hour early…Obviously it was just over in a flash…even before I started auditioning two of my friends had said something about it and I was like, “oh my god, I’ve got a really weird sense of something that was going to come from it.”, so I already had that in my mind. It was kind of pushing me forward.

Because of that, I was obviously putting a great deal of pressure on myself…Luckily J.J. obviously saw something and then in my last audition, I really felt like I did a good job and I was really pleased…Obviously I still wanted the role but I was like even if I don’t, I’m really glad that I’ve shown him really what I can do. And then luckily I got the role. So that was a good ending.”

Characteristics of Rey she sees in herself

Obviously I see a lot of myself in her because it’s me playing her…but all of the qualities I think maybe I possess in small things I think Rey has in greater amounts. I’d like to think I’m kind of brave but she’s far braver. I like to think I try and do the right thing but she far exceeds that…she’s far more of anything I think I could ever be.

If she had a light saber in real life…

“I feel like it would be a disco ball.”

I loved chatting with Daisy Ridley!

Have you checked out my interview with Harrison Ford? Keep checking back this week for more cast, producer & director interviews.

Leanette Fernandez with Daisy Ridley REV

STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS arrives in theaters everywhere on December 18th!

Stay Connected…

*Thank you for the images Mom Start!