Daisy Ridley’s favorite Star Wars experience may surprise you, but her reasoning makes sense. As the star of Star Wars’ sequel trilogy, there was a lot of pressure on Ridley’s shoulders. Her character, Rey, was the embodiment of a new generation of Jedi, especially in the wake of Luke Skywalker’s disappearance and subsequent sacrificial death.

Sadly, the sequel trilogy proved to be just as, if not more, divisive as George Lucas’ Star Wars prequel trilogy did in the early 2000s, with critics and fans at odds over the sequel trilogy’s lack of narrative cohesion and its handling of the franchise’s legacy characters. Star Wars: The Force Awakens and Star Wars: The Last Jedi, especially, split the Star Wars fandom right down the middle.

The one thing most viewers can agree on, however, is that Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is the least effective movie in the Star Wars sequel trilogy, burdened by too many ideas, a disjointed narrative continuation, and an overwhelming need for nostalgia. Was Palpatine’s return really necessary?

And yet, as Ridley shared in a 2023 interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker was the actresses’ favorite filmmaking experience during the sequel trilogy’s intense five-year production period, and I can fully understand why.

Daisy Ridley Loved Making The Rise Of Skywalker

During her interview with THR, Ridley revealed that, while filming The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi, she was anxious about her performance and the overwhelming weight of leading a Star Wars movie. Thoughts like “They’ve chosen the wrong person,” and “I’m gonna screw it all up,” affected how she felt during production.

That all changed during filming for The Rise of Skywalker, however. As Ridley explained, she felt much more secure in the role, safe with the crew and her fellow cast members. This allowed her to feel more present during the shoot and fully experience the excitement of making a Star Wars movie.

And then by the third one, I had little time to pause. I still had moments of feeling like, “Oh my God, am I terrible?” But I also knew that I worked really hard and that I was in a very safe environment with a lot of people that I already knew. So I felt very comfortable, and I really made an effort to be present every day. And it was my favorite filming experience for that reason because I was really taking in everything, and none of the joy and excitement had gone. So I felt like I could breathe a little easier. I mean, I loved all of them, but it was nice to really be in my body for that last filming experience.

Ridley’s Explanation Makes Perfect Sense

Star Wars audiences may feel differently about The Rise of Skywalker, but Ridley’s explanation of why she enjoyed making that movie, more than the others, makes perfect sense. Ridley’s experience of making The Rise of Skywalker perfectly parallels Rey embracing her new destiny as a Jedi in the sequel trilogy’s last installment, too.

In The Force Awakens, Rey didn’t even know she was Force-sensitive. She was lost in the galaxy, running into dangerous situations headfirst, and all the while, she just wanted to return home. Overcoming that confusion and anxiety was part of Rey’s journey in The Force Awakens, and Ridley understandably dealt with those feelings in real life as well.

In The Last Jedi, Rey was starting to understand more about her power, but she was still reluctant to embrace her destiny. How could she be the one to lead a new generation of Jedi when others, like Luke and Leia, were still around? How did that become her responsibility? With Luke’s and Mark Hamill’s Star Wars journeys coming to an end in The Last Jedi, Ridley’s role became even more important.

In The Rise of Skywalker, Ridley’s newfound earned confidence shines through in her portrayal of Rey. Much like Ridley felt secure on set, Rey felt secure in her power, taking on Kylo Ren and Palpatine with a ferociousness we hadn’t seen before. We can feel that Ridley came into her own on The Rise of Skywalker set because it’s visible on the screen.

What Daisy Ridley’s Favorite Star Wars Movie Means For Rey’s Return

Interestingly, that Hollywood Reporter interview took place a few months before Star Wars Celebration 2023, where it was confirmed that Ridley will return to lead a new Star Wars movie set 15 years after The Rise of Skywalker. Tentatively тιтled Star Wars: New Jedi Order, Rey will have been busy training a new generation of Jedi. The question is, does the galaxy still need the Jedi, or are they an insтιтution better left in the past?

If Ridley’s time on The Rise of Skywalker set made her feel extra confident, I can only imagine how overjoyed she’ll feel returning for New Jedi Order. She’ll be the “Jedi Master,” a returning Star Wars alumna much the same way Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, and Harrison Ford once were.

Given New Jedi Order’s placement in the Star Wars timeline, there are infinite storytelling opportunities. Star Wars could explore a new direction, and with a deservedly confident Daisy Ridley at the helm, it’s hard not to feel equally confident about the franchise’s post-Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker future.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter