Daisy Ridley was swarmed by fans when she exited the Jimmy Kimmel Live! studio in L.A. on Monday. Starring as Rey in the upcoming Star Wars: The Force Awakens, she was ill prepared for the enthusiasm on behalf of fans.
No novice to the TV and film world, Daisy Ridley was still in no way prepared for the the powerful draw of the Star Wars franchise.
Ridley tells Glamour UK magazine in the upcoming January issue that she was petrified when she first walked on to the Star Wars set, prompting director JJ Abrams to call her “wooden.”
“I was petrified. I thought I was gonna have a panic attack on the first day, she explains. “JJ… he probably doesn’t remember telling me that my performance was wooden. This was my first day! And I honestly wanted to die. I thought I was gonna cry, I couldn’t breathe.”
Daisy Ridley: JJ Abrams called my acting 'wooden' https://t.co/wnmm3ONTfl #StarWars via @TelegraphFilm pic.twitter.com/VRsmbm94xq
— The Telegraph (@Telegraph) November 27, 2015
Daisy Ridley hasn’t viewed the upcoming film yet.
“I haven’t seen the film yet–I kinda want to, and I kinda don’t–Steven Spielberg’s seen it three times, as he told me when I met him!” she says.
Daisy Ridley won’t have long to wait if she wants to see the film in theaters. Star Wars: The Force Awakens hits theaters in the UK on December 17th. For now, however, she needs to get used to crowds swarming her wherever she travels to promote the film.
Ridley is even more shocked to learn that people are getting tattoos in honor of the film.
We are SO excited to announce our JANUARY COVER STAR Daisy Ridley! @StarWarsUK @Disney #TheForceAwakens ??? pic.twitter.com/gwpBePvjzc
— Glamour Magazine UK (@GlamourMagUK) November 25, 2015
“It’s so nice that people are so excited about it. But people are getting tattoos! Of my face! Already!” she says. “And I’m like; you don’t even know what Rey is in the story. It seems insane to me.”
Daisy Ridley truly has no idea just how passionate Star Wars fans are about their films and characters–does she? She had best be prepared. That crowd outside of Jimmy Kimmel’s studio might be nothing compared to what she sees as it gets closer to the film’s premiere.