Daisy Ridley rejected media narrative that posits Star Wars fans and states those accusations have been “blown out of proportion.”
Daisy Ridley as Rey in The Last Jedi (2017), Lucasfilm
One of the show’s hosts asked the actress, “I just have to ask because there are some of the, I’d say extreme Star Wars fans who have made this a conversation on the internet about how they don’t want a female director, which seems bizarre because episodes of The Mandalorian were directed by females, Kathleen Kennedy has been overseeing all of this. So what is your take?”
Ridley responded, “I think my take is things get blown out of proportion and the interactions I’ve ever had with people have been nothing but wonderful and supportive. And honestly the day we announced I was coming back at celebration last year, you cannot imagine the joy and good will in that room.”
She added, “So I’ve only ever been embraced. And I think we’re going to make a great film and people will love it.”
Daisy Ridley speaks on TODAY about being a part of the upcoming Star Wars film “Star Wars: New Jedi Order” and reacts to conversations online about the film having a woman director. pic.twitter.com/Ju17myPDkm
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) January 25, 2024
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These comments echo similar ones made by Ridley while speaking with Variety earlier this week. She was asked by the outlet’s Rebecca Rubin, “You’re reprising your role as Rey in a new “Star Wars” movie directed by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy. How will the franchise’s first female filmmaker impact the series?”
Ridley responded, “The short answer is I don’t know. I’m excited to do the job, but not because Sharmeen is a woman.”
“Her documentaries are amazing. Her idea for the story is cool as sh*t. No spoilers, but she gave me a rundown of the entire story. If it weren’t amazing, I would have been like, ‘OK, call me in five years.’ But it’s worthwhile,” she added.
LONDON, ENGLAND – APRIL 07: (L-R) Daisy Ridley, Kathleen Kennedy and Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy attend the studio panel at Star Wars Celebration 2023 attends the studio panel at Star Wars Celebration 2023 in London at ExCel on April 07, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Jeff Spicer/Jeff Spicer/Getty Images for Disney)
Ridley’s brief appearances promoting or at the very least discussing the film seem to be in direct contrast to how the film’s director Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy has commented about the film.
Obaid-Chinoy has discussed the film under the lens of feminism. Infamously she told CNN, “I am very thrilled about the project because I think what we are about to create is something very special. And we are in 2024 now and I think it’s about time we had a woman come forward to shape the story in a galaxy far, far away.”
As the Today show host pointed out, it’s quite bizarre given Kathleen Kennedy has been running Lucasfilm since George Lucas sold the company to The Walt Disney Corporation in 2012.
Daisy Ridley as Rey in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019), Lucasfilm
Her comments to CNN were not the only time she indicated she viewed feminism as a critical part of her potential Star Wars film. She told Vice News last May, “My name is Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy and I’m directing the next Star Wars film. I’m excited about bringing Daisy Ridley back into the Star Wars galaxy, and in telling her story, I am excited to be immersed in the Jedi Academy, and I think there is so much excitement around the new Jedi order.”
She continued, “I’ve always kicked open doors that were previously closed, and I think my feeling is that there is a critical mass of women who have begun to move forward in places that were previously closed to them.”
@vicenews Pakistan-born Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy will be the first woman and person of colour to direct one of three new Star Wars films. She’s Muslim, brown, an Oscar-winning documentary filmmaker and this is her first major Hollywood feature. #StarWars #womenoftiktok #Pakistan #southasian #director #movie #film #msmarvel #daisyridley #jedi ♬ original sound – VICE News
What do you make of Ridley’s comments?
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