Daisy Ridley Biography

Daisy Ridley was born in London on April 10, 1992. She is the daughter of Louise Fawkner-Corbett and Chris Ridley, and her great-uncle was actor and playwright Arnold Ridley. She developed an interest in performing from a young age and attended the Tring Park School for the Performing Arts, where she trained in musical theatre and various forms of dance.

Before becoming a major film star, Ridley worked in British television and short films. Her early credits included appearances in Youngers, Casualty, Toast of London, Mr Selfridge and Silent Witness. She also appeared in short films including Scrawl, 100% Beef and Crossed Wires.

In 2014, Ridley was selected to play Rey in Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens. Released in 2015, the film became a worldwide phenomenon and turned Ridley into an international star. She continued the character's story in Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017) and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019).

Following her Star Wars success, Ridley deliberately explored different genres and characters. She played Mary Debenham in Murder on the Orient Express (2017), the title character in Ophelia (2018), and voiced Cottontail in Peter Rabbit. She later starred as Viola Eade in Chaos Walking and appeared in The Marsh King's Daughter.

Ridley also took on increasingly diverse dramatic roles. She starred in Young Woman and the Sea (2024) as competitive swimmer Trudy Ederle and appeared in Magpie (2024), in addition to serving as a producer on the latter. She also produced Sometimes I Think About Dying, demonstrating her growing involvement beyond acting.

In Cleaner (2025), Ridley played Joey, an ex-soldier who works as a window cleaner and becomes involved in a dangerous hostage situation after activists seize control of a gala. The action thriller was directed by Martin Campbell. Ridley also starred in We Bury the Dead (2024) as Ava. The film added another darker genre project to her post-Star Wars filmography.

Her future projects continue to include both original stories and major franchise films. IMDb currently lists Star Wars: New Jedi Order, with Ridley returning as Rey, as a future project. Other projects listed include The Good Samaritan, Me vs. Me, Federico, the Imaginary Life of Fellini, Dedication and Ebenezer: A Christmas Carol.

Daisy Ridley's career is defined by a remarkable transition from relatively small British television roles to international stardom through the Star Wars franchise. Her portrayal of Rey made her a globally recognized actress and gave her a character that became central to the sequel trilogy. With Cleaner, We Bury the Dead and other recent projects, Ridley has continued building her career outside the Star Wars universe. Her upcoming return as Rey in Star Wars: New Jedi Order also represents an important new chapter in her association with the franchise.

Rather than remaining associated with one franchise, Ridley has continued experimenting with different genres, including mystery, historical drama, romance, science fiction, action and thriller films. Her performances in Murder on the Orient Express, Ophelia, Chaos Walking, The Marsh King's Daughter and Young Woman and the Sea demonstrate this range.