Star Wars actress Daisy Ridley reveals "pretty horrid" first days on The Force Awakens made her think: "I can't do this"

The Londoner was catapulted to fame when she was cast as Rey in the 2015 sci-fi movie. Previously, her only screen roles had been minor roles in shows like Silent Witness, Mr Selfridge and Toast of London, so it was a major adjustment.

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Asked about her experience of "impostor syndrome" during those early days, she told Happy Sad Confused podcast host Josh Horowitz: "It was pretty horrid. It was really scary. I felt just sick and I didn’t really know anyone yet, and it takes me a really long time to settle down with people."

Ridley recalled: "And I do remember being behind the speeder and there was loads of people there and somebody had an umbrella over me and even that, like, ‘Oh someone’s holding an umbrella over you? OK.’ And I remember thinking, ‘I can’t do it.’ Like, I can’t do this, this is not right."

The actress shared her worries at the time, but there wasn't much that could be done. "People don't know what to say, because what do you say to that?" she told Horowitz.

Ridley added: "Even my mum at the premiere of Force Awakens went, ‘I mean, I’m nervous, but there must be a reason why they cast you.’ Thanks mum."

Thankfully she was soon able to gel with director JJ Abrams and the rest of the cast, and now she is a lot more comfortable, saying: "I feel more confident in my work."

Rey will return in the next Star Wars movie, The Rise of Skywalker, which will be released in UK cinemas on 19th December 2019.