Amazon MGM Studios’ Masters of the Universe was designed to introduce He-Man, Man-At-Arms, and Teela to a new generation. After the film struggled to generate significant enthusiasm during its opening weekend, many observers pointed to the marketing campaign.
The first trailer immediately put some fans on alert with a pronouns joke. Comments from the cast and crew also suggested a modern perspective on the legacy property. The latest remark to go viral comes from Teela actress Camila Mendes, who revealed that Daisy Ridley’s Rey from Star Wars served as an inspiration for her performance.
Camila Mendes Compares Teela to Rey
Camila Mendes was speaking with ComicBook.com. The interviewer noted that there have been several different interpretations of Teela over the years and asked whether Mendes looked outside the Masters of the Universe franchise for inspiration.
Teela in Masters of the Universe – YouTube, Amazon MGM Studios
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“I feel like I was a little inspired by Daisy Ridley’s performance in Star Wars,” Mendes answered immediately. “I think that was one that I went to observe because there I felt like there were similarities between those characters.”
Asked to elaborate, Mendes suggested that both Teela and Rey share a similar sense of independence. She added that Teela is “kind of on her own” and pointed to similarities in how the two characters carry themselves.
It’s a comparison that may not be particularly appealing to some fans of either franchise.
Rey Remains a Divisive Character
Ridley’s Rey Skywalker/Palpatine remains one of the most divisive characters in the Star Wars franchise. Critics frequently described her as a “Mary Sue,” arguing that she excelled at nearly everything she attempted while mastering the Force unusually quickly. Others felt that the sequel trilogy spent too much time treating Rey as a mystery box rather than developing her personality.
Daisy Ridley as Rey in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019), Lucasfilm
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As a result, Rey became a focal point for broader debates about modern franchise storytelling. Even years after the sequel trilogy concluded, discussions surrounding the character remain contentious.
That context makes Mendes’ comparison noteworthy. Of all the female heroes in modern film, Rey carries a significant amount of cultural baggage. Whether fair or not, invoking the character was almost guaranteed to generate discussion online.
More importantly, the remark continues a broader pattern in which Masters of the Universe finds itself making headlines because of interviews rather than the film itself.
Another Self-Inflicted Distraction
In April, Mendes told Entertainment Weekly that Teela is “affected by toxic masculinity just as much as the men in the film. And I think she’s sort of adopted masculinity to protect herself in this very masculine world.”
Those comments echoed earlier remarks from director Travis Knight, who described Skeletor as “the embodiment of toxic masculinity.”
Jared Leto as Skeletor in Masters of the Universe – Amazon MGM Studios, YouTube
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Whatever Mendes and Knight intended by those statements, the language quickly became part of the conversation surrounding Masters of the Universe. Rather than focusing on the film’s fantasy setting, action sequences, or characters, much of the online discussion shifted toward culture-war debates.
Now, the Masters of the Universe actress’s suggestion that Rey helped inspire her portrayal of Teela risks creating another distraction. For audiences already skeptical of the film, the comparison may reinforce existing concerns regardless of how Teela is actually portrayed on screen.
Competing with Mixed Messaging
Ultimately, Masters of the Universe underperformed during its opening weekend. User reviews on Criticless have generally been favorable, where the film currently holds a 70% “Rad” score. Many reviewers describe the movie as containing mixed messaging that softens concerns about any overt political agenda.
He Man in Masters of The Universe – YouTube, Amazon MGM Studios
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Yet that sense of mixed messaging may have extended beyond the film itself. Throughout the promotional campaign, Masters of the Universe repeatedly found itself competing not only with audience expectations, but with the comments of its own cast and creatives.
What do you think about Camila Mendes comparing Teela to Rey? Sound off in the comments and let us know!
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