Tragic Details About Daisy Ridley

This article mentions mental health issues and gun violence.

Daisy Ridley rose to prominence in 2015 when she was introduced as Rey, the newest "Star Wars" protagonist, and she's been a force to be reckoned with ever since — as both a Jedi and an actor. The London native attended a performing arts boarding school and began taking on small roles in shorts and episodes of BBC television shows until she finally found her big break. Over the past decade, Ridley has had a stunning transformation and somehow managed to maintain a sense of normalcy in her life, despite becoming a household name practically overnight.

In speaking with Stylist in December 2017, the actor commented on how she was led to believe "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" was going to turn her life upside-down. "I found the hardest thing was everyone saying, 'Your life's going to change.' So many people were telling me this thing was going to happen, then the thing happened and that didn't happen. I go on the Tube, I'm not harassed all the time. People are super-cool," Ridley said.

However, while the English actor has had quite the meteoric rise, that's not to say Daisy Ridley's life is devoid of tragic details. Between her health conditions to online criticism and the complexities of starring in one of the biggest media franchises of all time, she has endured a lot in the public eye and behind the scenes.

Many celebrities have been outspoken about their experiences with endometriosis and polycystic ovarian syndrome, two conditions that can be difficult to diagnose. The former causes tissue to grow outside the uterus and leads to extremely painful periods, and the latter is a hormonal disorder that impacts the reproductive organs. In 2016, Ridley spoke out about her own experiences with both endometriosis and PCOS.

"At 15 I was diagnosed with endometriosis. One laparoscopy, many consultations and 8 years down the line, pain was back (more mild this time!) and my skin was THE WORST. I've tried everything: products, antibiotics, more products, more antibiotics and all that did was left my body in a bit of a mess. Finally found out I have polycystic ovaries and that's why it's bad," Ridley wrote on Facebook in 2016 (via OSF Healthcare). The "Star Wars" star went on to encourage those dealing with symptoms of any kind to seek help and not to suffer in silence.

While many praised Ridley for being so candid, her post didn't have the effect she'd hoped it would. In December 2017, when asked about her social media post, she told Stylist, "Periods are still not fully talked about. ... It felt nice to say. But ultimately, people [on social media] weren't very nice and I thought, 'I can't be bothered.'"

Going from a couple episodes of a BBC forensic procedural one year to becoming one of the most talked about stars the next must have been an incredible time for Daisy Ridley. Come 2015, little girls were doing their hair like her "Star Wars" character and she was working with some big players in Hollywood. However, with all this newfound fame of course came online trolls as well, and Ridley became the victim of body shamers on Instagram.

As People recounted in March 2016, an Instagram user created a GIF of Ridley, with the caption, "I can't believe the unrealistic expectations I'm setting for young girls. Who cast me anyway? Don't they know real women haves [sic] curves?" Ridley replied in her own post, "Real women are all shapes and sizes, all ethnicities, all levels of brave, have families, don't have families. I'm a 'real woman' like every other women in this world." However, realizing the power her online presence carried, Ridley later deleted her post as her fans began to attack the initial commenter.

Later, the actor shared another Instagram post, writing, "I'm just a normal girl thrust into extraordinary circumstances, just like Rey. I will not apologize for how I look, what I say and how I live my life cause what's happening inside is much more important anyway and I am striving to be the best version of myself, even if I stumble along the way."

Unfortunately, Daisy Ridley ran into issues again with online trolls in August 2016. She had been nominated a few times by the Teen Choice Awards that year and even won the Breakout Star award. During the show, a video was played in tribute to victims of gun violence, so when Ridley took to Instagram to celebrate her win, she also made a point to acknowledge the clip she'd witnessed.

"As I sat in the audience yesterday tears were streaming down my face at the tribute to those that have been lost to gun violence. I didn't get a great picture of the incredible group that came on stage but they were so brave. It was a true moment of togetherness. We must #stoptheviolence," the actor wrote. It wasn't a shocking, provocative, or uncommon sentiment, but Ridley sadly became the target for criticism amongst Instagram users for her comments nonetheless, with many going so far as to accuse her of being a hypocrite due to the fictional violence depicted in the "Star Wars" franchise.

Shortly after, Ridley deleted her social media and remained offline for years, telling BuzzFeed in June 2019 that her Instagram use had been "cut off like a Skywalker limb." The actor made a comeback to the platform with an April 2022 post, writing, "Coming out of social media hibernation refreshed, recharged, and ready for what I'm calling my 'Year of Yes.'"

Anxiety can manifest in a multitude of ways, from muscle tension to fatigue or chest pain. In 2017, following the successful releases of her second "Star Wars" film and "Murder on the Orient Express," Daisy Ridley's anxiety had shown up in the form of holes in her stomach. As she shared with GQ in December 2019, "I saw a picture of me at ['The Last Jedi'] London premiere and I was so skinny and my skin was terrible. My body was just f***ed up. I got tests done and it turned out my body was taking in no nutrients. I was just like a little skeleton and I was just so tired. I was becoming a ghost."

All the work she had put into showbiz was paying off in the form of a successful career, but Ridley's physical health was paying the price. She later spoke more about this time in her life during a January 2024 interview with Inverse, saying, "When all of the craziness was going on, I was like, 'I'm good. I'm good. I'm coping fine. Everything's fine.' And I was fine, for the most part. But I think what I was really grappling with was that it was my normal, but it was not normal to other people." Years later, Ridley revealed the true extent of her health conditions, but at the time it was a frightening ordeal for her.

Daisy Ridley was lucky enough to work with Carrie Fisher in "The Force Awakens" and "The Last Jedi" before the "Star Wars" legend tragically died of a heart attack in December 2016. They had filmed several scenes together over the years, so it was especially difficult when it came time to work on "The Rise of Skywalker" without Fisher. For this installment, J.J. Abrams decided to use previous footage of the actor to incorporate Princess Leia into the movie, and Ridley had to act as if she was there.

In her aforementioned chat with GQ, Ridley opened up about filming those scenes. "It was definitely difficult," she said. "It was emotional doing it, because you're also weirdly picturing her. You're not picturing how the scene is going to be. It's really sad. And it's going to be really sad. But also, it's amazing that they have all this footage that is woven into the story in such a strange way."

Understandably, Fisher's death hit the cast hard, especially those who had worked with her in the '70s. While Ridley never spoke about it with Mark Hamill — "I would never presume. Mark's known her for 40 years," she said — the actor did discuss the loss of Fisher with her daughter Billie Lourd, who also appeared in the franchise. "I just wanted to ask Billie how she was doing," Ridley said.

Fame can be a difficult and, at times, dangerous thing — especially when so-called "fans" cross the line. In December 2019, Daisy Ridley spoke with The Sun about one particularly terrifying interaction with a stranger that stuck with her.

"I've had a couple of stalking incidents and absolutely nothing can prepare you for the absolute fear you feel. The first one was in New York a couple of years back when this really big guy followed me back to my hotel late at night. I didn't know if he was just an obsessive fan or somebody with bad intentions, but any girl is going to be freaked out. I started screaming and he ran away. But I can remember the utter fear that came over me. I had to have some therapy after that, it really scared me."

In a later interview with Tatler (via CultureSlate) February 2021, Ridley spoke how "Star Wars" made life difficult for her in many ways, including having people "turn up at [her] doorstep." However, the actor explained that she still wouldn't change anything about her involvement with the franchise. While the movies' popularity made going out in public more difficult for Ridley, they also gave her a once in a lifetime opportunity.

The cast of the "Star Wars" sequel trilogy had grown close and become something of a family after working together for so many years. So, when filming "The Rise of Skywalker" wrapped and it came time for Daisy Ridley to say goodbye to Rey and her castmates, she mourned the loss. As she told MovieWeb in February 2021, "I felt like I was going to pop a vein because I was crying so much... Obviously not to say that it was like grieving, but it was grieving something. I'll always have it, and we're all bonded by this incredible thing."

"Star Wars" had marked the beginning of Ridley's upward trajectory and had been a part of her life for many years, so it was emotional to let go of her character and those she'd grown so close to. In January 2024, she echoed these feelings to Inverse, saying, "After the last 'Star Wars' came out and everything was quiet, I was like, 'What the f***?' I was grieving."

In December 2019, Daisy Ridley landed in hot water thanks to an unfortunate quote she gave to The Guardian. When the interviewer asked the "Star Wars" actor whether she believed her privileged upbringing aided in the transition to stardom, the conversation went south. "The privilege I have — how? No, genuinely, how?" Ridley replied. The writer had been referring to her private education and social class, and despite emphasizing no criticism was intended, it was clear Ridley was offended.

"Well no, because, no. ... John [Boyega] grew up on a council estate in Peckham and I think me and him are similar enough that ... no. ... Also, I went to a boarding school for performing arts, which was different. ... I'm not saying what you're saying is wrong. I've just never been asked that before, so I'm like, oh. I don't think so," she explained. Despite Ridley having a close relationship with her co-star Boyega, this comparison would be the blunder everyone talked about.

Right on cue, X erupted into criticism of the actor and her inability to recognize her privilege. "The very definition of #privilege; not even being aware of how your schooling & parents could have influenced your life," one user wrote. Another X post read, "Daisy Ridley being tone deaf and exposing herself as completely blind to her immense privilege."

Hollywood more or less shut down when the pandemic struck in 2020, which could account for Daisy Ridley's lack of success after "Star Wars." From the time "Rise of Skywalker" was released in 2019 until things picked back up for the actor in 2023, she was in only two movies. "Chaos Walking," which she starred in alongside Tom Holland, was deemed a failure as the promotions failed to generate enough hype by the time the movie was released in 2021. The second film she was in around this time, 2022's "The Bubble," received a measly 20% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. It was a dramatic turn from her insurmountable career trajectory over the previous few years,

While attending a panel at SXSW in March 2024 (via Variety), Ridley spoke on how much things had shifted for her professionally after "Star Wars." She said, "There weren't that many offers coming in. ... I remember finishing and thinking, 'Oh, it's quiet and strange.'" However, by the time she was speaking about it, her career had shifted, with Ridley taking on "Sometimes I Think About Dying" and "The Marsh King's Daughter" that year.

"It's been really busy and amazing and I've got to do so many different things for so many different people," she continued. Fortunately, 2024 brought even more projects to Ridley, and the actor still has even more roles in the works, too.

When the COVID-19 pandemic took hold in 2020, lockdowns and social distancing were put into place around the world in an effort to mitigate the spread of the virus. Once these restrictions were lifted, returning to "normal" life proved to be challenging for many. This was especially true for those who either developed social anxiety during that period, or who already struggled with it beforehand, like Daisy Ridley.

During a January 2023 interview with Rolling Stone, the "Star Wars" actor explained how she struggled with socializing even more so after the pandemic. "I'm not the most social person," she said. "I find social interactions a lot of times quite difficult, unless there's a reason. Work meetings are fine. If there's a purpose, I'm fine. But otherwise, I've always found social interactions difficult. And coming out of the pandemic, there was this one dinner. I thought, 'This is really, really hard to just be with people.'"

Almost every "Star Wars" fan has formed an opinion on the newer movies, whether you've been a diehard devotee of the original "Star Wars" trilogy since 1977, you fell into the franchise with the prequel trilogy in the early noughties, or you only watched the more recent sequel trilogy. The incredible following of the series was something J.J. Abrams had warned Daisy Ridley about when she signed on, according to the actor in an interview with The Guardian in December 2019. "This is not a role in a movie. This is a religion for people. It changes things on a level that is inconceivable," she recalled the director telling her early on.

And he was right. When "The Last Jedi" came out, it was considered by many to be perhaps the most divisive stories in the "Star Wars" franchise, with many critiquing the plot. Understandably, as one of the main stars in the film, Ridley was upset by the backlash the movie received. In January 2024, five years after the final installment of the sequel trilogy hit theaters, she reflected on the negative discourse on an episode of the "Happy Sad Confused" podcast. "I think it's still upsetting because you don't want people to feel like you've not served the thing that they're a fan of," she said.

In August 2024, Daisy Ridley revealed that she'd been diagnosed with Graves' disease, the same health condition that Wendy Williams has. In speaking with Women's Health, the actor explained that she initially thought stress was what was making her feel unwell. However, once she recounted her symptoms to a doctor, Ridley learned more about her diagnosis. "It was funny, I was like, 'Oh, I just thought I was annoyed at the world,' but turns out everything is functioning so quickly, you can't chill out," she said.

The autoimmune disorder can cause an overactive thyroid and lead to symptoms like fatigue, hand tremors, weight loss, and irritability, all of which Ridley had been experiencing. She continued, "I didn't realize how bad I felt before. Then I looked back and thought, 'How did I do that?' ... We all read the stats about women being undiagnosed or underdiagnosed and sort of coming to terms with saying, 'I really, actually don't feel good' and not going, 'I'm fine, I'm fine, I'm fine, I'm fine.' It's just normalized to not feel good."

At first, Ridley was annoyed to receive the diagnosis because she had taken such good care of herself. But, on the bright side, learning she had Graves' disease also helped her find other ways to put her health first. "I've always been health conscious, and now I'm trying to be more well-being conscious," she said.

If you or someone you know needs help with mental health, please contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741, call the National Alliance on Mental Illness helpline at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), or visit the National Institute of Mental Health website.