Disney is revealing all of the interesting details surrounding how Daisy Ridley was cast for the lead role in Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
Related: [Watch] Daisy Ridley’s Audition for ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’
J.J. Abrams released a new video on Friday, which comes from the upcoming DVD release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Apparently, Abrams was “looking for was someone new. This character needed to be vulnerable and tough, sweet and terrified. And to find someone that no one knew who could do all these things took a lot of looking.”
In the video, audiences get to see Daisy Ridley show off her acting chops during her audition for the lead role of Rey.
Related: ‘Star Wars’ Daisy Ridley Forced To Move After Fans Find Her Home On Google Street View
“When we brought her in, I asked her to do this one scene. It was this torture scene, very intense, and she just blew my mind. She’s reaching this depth of struggle, and tears were streaming down her face, and I thought, ‘This is unbelievable.’ ” said Abrams. “I asked her to stop, gave her a couple of adjustments, do it again, and she did it again. I thought, ‘Oh, my God.’ ”
Related: Kristen Stewart Shares Advice to Daisy Ridley on How to Survive Being ‘Star Wars’ Famous
Abrams admits that they auditioned a lot of talented actresses for the lead role of Rey. But, it “until we found Daisy that we just felt like she was capable of doing all these things this character required.”
Related: ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ Deleted Scenes [Video]
Watch Ridley’s audition below.
I believe at the end of the day Abrams and Disney made the right decision by casting Ridley. Her acting skills helped raise the bar for movies all around the world and her skills helped put Star Wars: The Force Awakens in the movie Box Office Hall of Fame. But, Ridley worked hard in order to land the role in the Star Wars movie.
After she graduated from Tring Park School for Performing Arts, located in Hertfordshire, England, where she trained in musical theater and graduated in 2010, at the age of 18, she worked extensively in short films, TV shows and indie projects. For example, in 2014, she played opposite to Jeremy Piven as Roxy Starlet in the second season of the ITV series, Mr Selfridge, and as Hannah Kennedy in two episodes of the BBC crime drama, Silent Witness. She further had roles in short films, including Scrawl, 100% Beef, and Crossed Wires. She was also featured in Blue Season, which was entered into the Sci-Fi-London 48-Hour Film Challenge, and Lifesaver, which was nominated for a BAFTA Award.
While, Ridley is a new actress to everyone else across the world, Ridley has been working on her acting skills for years.
