Daisy Ridley may be an up-and-coming actress now, but after Star Wars: The Force Awakens opens later this month, she’ll be a bona fide action star in one of–if not the–the biggest movies of the decade. And while she’s already getting recognized on the street, it wasn’t an easy road to the top.

Ridley says she’s been fired from acting jobs before, calling it “soul destroying”, and that her last job before she got cast as Rey in Star Wars was as a waitress in a London pub. The gig was difficult, because even though she did her job well, being a female sometimes got in the way.

“It was a beer and alehouse. I knew a lot about beer. Guys used to come in and talk to my co-workers…guys would ask, and I’d be like, “So this is nice and hoppy with a grapefruit note,” Ridley said in a recent interview.

Daisy says she’s enjoying this last bit of time before things get really, intensely crazy…like being able to talk to a fan at length without being bombarded for autograph requests.

“I’m walking around and thinking, “I’m going to enjoy this while I can.” This guy recognized me and I was chatting away to him for ages. It probably got to a point where he was like: “All right. I’m done. I just wanted a picture,” Daisy said.

Ridley said recently that she had to train rigorously for months before filming began, including weight training and working with a staff for fight scenes. However, she says having (director) J.J. Abrams at her side was immensely helpful.

“I had to look like I could look after myself in the desert and drag and scavenging things across sand. Luckily, to have J.J. there, who is so kind and considerate and encouraging, and to have a crew of people who made me feel safe and not rushed and not pressured, that is precisely what took the pressure off,” Daisy Ridley said.