Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Daisy Ridley says she was called ‘intimidating’ on set of new film Chaos Walking

Star Wars actor plays the mysterious Violet, who crash-lands on a planet where all the women have disappeared

Roisin O'Connor
Tuesday 29 December 2020 10:04 EST
Comments
Chaos Walking trailer

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Daisy Ridley has said she was shocked at being branded “intimidating” while on the set of new film Chaos Walking.  

The Star Wars actor appears opposite Spider-Man star Tom Holland in the adaptation of Patrick Ness’s dystopian young adult series, which is scheduled for release in 2021.

It follows Todd Hewitt (Holland) who discovers the mysterious Viola (Ridley), after she crash-lands on his planet, where all the women have disappeared.  

Ridley claims she received the comment while she was having her character’s wig fitted.

“I've been told that I'm intimidating,” she told Tatler. “That was on Chaos Walking. I was having my hair done, having my wig put on. I remember thinking, 'God, should I be smaller? Should I be quieter?'”

She also revealed one director she previously worked with had told her that her energy was “quite aggressive”.

“I was thinking: 'But why? Is it because I maintained eye contact?” she said. “Is it because I'm passionate about what we're talking about?' I dunno.”

“You have that horrible sinking feeling of, 'God, do I not come across the way I think I do?”' she added.

Ridley, who appears on the cover of Tatler’s February 2021 issue, also said she had struggled with the overnight fame caused by her role in 2015’s The Force Awakens.

“When I signed on to Star Wars, there was nothing in my contract that said: 'Your life will be talked about',” she said.

“It got to the point where I realised so much of my life was out there. People knew my mum's name, my dad's name, what my sisters do for a living.

“And I thought it would be nice to have something that's for me, that isn't for everybody else. I just thought I would keep that separate.”

The full feature will be available in the February issue of Tatler, from Monday 4 January.

Chaos Walking completed filming in 2017 but was forced to wait years in order to complete reshoots due to the franchise schedules of Ridley and Holland. 

Ridley said earlier this year that she struggled to find work after Star Wars, claiming “no one wanted to employ me”.

Additional reporting by Press Association

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in