Most Star Wars fans agree that the sequel trilogy is a massive disappointment, but too many people incorrectly blame the wrong person for the films’ shortcomings. From the start, platforms like YouTube have been flooded with critics who target Daisy Ridley, as if she had creative control over her character or the story arcs. However, as director Martin Campbell recently emphasized, Daisy Ridley is fantastic. His praise is a reminder that hardcore Rey haters simply don’t understand how movies are made.
Stop Hating on Daisy Ridley
Campbell, a veteran action film director who recently worked with Ridley on Cleaner, praised her performance in the film. He highlighted a particular scene, noting how “convincing” she was and how it required a skilled actress to pull it off. Reading his kind words about Ridley, I couldn’t help but think how many of her critics fail to grasp a simple truth: even the best actors are only as good as the script and direction allow them to be.
What does this mean in the context of the Star Wars sequel trilogy? Many of Ridley’s critics began by targeting her character, Rey, accusing her of being a “Mary Sue”—a character who is overly perfect and lacks depth. While we can debate whether Rey was poorly written, one thing is clear: Daisy Ridley did not write the script. Blaming her for the character’s flaws is misguided.
It’s one thing to dislike a character, but it’s another to blame the actor who portrays them. To understand how misguided Ridley’s critics are, look no further than Mark Hamill’s portrayal of Luke Skywalker in The Last Jedi. Many fans hated Luke’s transformation into a cynical hermit, and even Hamill himself disagreed with the direction his character took. However, unlike Ridley, Hamill wasn’t subjected to an online hate campaign. Why? Because fans understood that Hamill, as an actor, was limited by the script and Rian Johnson’s direction. If Luke Skywalker was poorly written, even Hamill couldn’t save the character.
So why does Daisy Ridley bear the brunt of the hate for the sequel trilogy? It’s likely fueled by misogyny, particularly from certain YouTubers who blame women for everything they dislike in movies and TV. It’s also possible that younger fans simply don’t understand how films are made, leading them to unfairly target actors who don’t control their characters’ arcs.
If you’re one of Ridley’s critics, here’s a challenge: watch her performances in non-Star Wars films like Murder on the Orient Express, The Marsh King’s Daughter, and Cleaner. You’ll likely be surprised by how talented she is when given a well-written script. Hopefully, her career won’t be overshadowed by her role in the sequel trilogy, and she’ll continue to shine in future projects.
Source: CBR
