Daisy Ridley's 10 Best Roles Outside of Star Wars

Daisy Ridley is best known for playing Rey Skywalker in the Star Wars sequel trilogy, but she's also an acclaimed actress who's starred in a variety of great films that weren't set that long ago in a galaxy far, far away. Star Wars the films defined, for better or worse, Ridley's career. Star Wars: The Force Awakens was Ridley's big break in Hollywood, and now she's returning to the franchise in the next film New Jedi Order. Rey Skywalker is an important part of her acting career, but it's far from the only one.

Since 2019 Star Wars: The Rise of SkywalkerRidley has starred in 13 films, video games, and even a podcast series. Ridley's postRise of Skywalker Her career has been incredibly impressive and she has managed to establish herself much more than Rey did back then. Some of Daisy Ridley's best films didn't even mention lightsabers or the Force, and she took on some of her best roles in genres far removed from science fiction. These 10 Roles Are Ridley's Best Outside Star Warsand they all highlight something that makes her an incredible actress.

10

Chaos Walk – Viola

Although Chaos Walking failed at the box office, Ridley performed very well

Since it was released in 2021, Chaos Walk It is mainly known for being a huge box office failure. It made just $26 million against a budget of at least $100 million (via Mojo Box Office), and never came close to adapting the next two books in the trilogy. However, it's not a terrible film, and most of the flaws that led to it Chaos Walk Being a failure wasn't Daisy Ridley's fault. Viola was a complex character, the sole survivor of an extraplanetary expedition and the only woman in a world full of men, and Ridley did a great job of capturing every side of her..

In fact, Ridley did such a good job as Viola that she's one of the few things most critics and viewers agree on. Chaos Walk got it right. Her chemistry with Todd (Tom Holland) is undeniable, and the two manage to navigate some awkward scenes with an incredible amount of poise.. She also excelled in action-packed scenes, something her time as Rey likely helped, and generally helped transform. Chaos Walk from a complete mess to a quite enjoyable watch. Chaos Walk is far from the best film of 2021, but it could have been much worse without Ridley.

9

Peter Rabbit – Cottontail

Ridley's vocal performance as Cotton-Tail was charming and fun

Most of Daisy Ridley's best-known films are live-action, but she also has a fairly extensive filmography as a voice actress. One of his best voice acting roles was in Pedro Coelhowhere she voiced Cotton-Tail. Ridley herself described Cotton-Tail as a “loose cannon“,” “a little mental,” and “incredible“, and your assessment was correct. Pedro Coelho It's far from Ridley's most serious or acclaimed film, but it's endlessly entertaining. Cotton-Tail's antics are a big reason why the film is so fun, and Ridley's vocal performance only made it funnier.

Being a talented actor is more than just being able to deliver moving displays of emotion and support dramatic tension, and Ridley's performance in Pedro Coelho prove it. It's often not easy for dramatic actors to play comedic roles well, but Ridley is more than capable of it. His delivery, timing, cadence and just about everything that makes a joke work are spot on, and Cotton-Tail was one of the highlights of Pedro Coelho because of her. In fact, it's a shame that his filming schedule for The Rise of Skywalker in conflict with Peter Rabbit 2: The Fugitive.

8

The Daughter of the Swamp King – Helena

Ridley's performance as Helena carries the swamp king's daughter to a disheartening ending

However The Swamp King's Daughter disappointed critics – it has 40% in Rotten tomatoes — it wasn't because of Ridley's role as Helena. In truth, Helena is one of the best things The Swamp King's Daughterand one of your most common sources of praise. Kevin Maher of the Times even praised Ridley for delivering “his strongest post-Star Wars turn', and it's clear why he thought that. Ridley skillfully managed all the stress and tension Helena faced throughout The Swamp King's Daughterand it was largely because of his leadership that the film managed to move.

In addition to directing the film, Ridley did a lot of The Swamp King's Daughter. Your chemistry with Rogue One: A Star Wars Story alumnus Ben Mendelsohn was impressive, and the father-daughter relationship provided much of the film's charm. There were also many moments where Ridley demonstrated how well she could balance emotions – often pure anxiety and total surrender – which is a very impressive skill.

7

Murder on the Orient Express – Miss Mary Debenham

In the ensemble cast of Murder On The Orient Express, Ridley still managed to stand out

Daisy Ridley made two films between her performances as Rey Skywalker: the first was in 2016 Murder on the Orient Expresswhere she played Miss Mary Debenham, and was a resounding success. Murder on the Orient Express is an adaptation of one of Agatha Christie's most famous mystery novels and spawned a series of Hercule Poirot films led by Kenneth Branagh. Murder on the Orient Express It's also one of the best murder mystery films out there, and that's partly due to Ridley's performance and the way she bonded with her co-stars.

As far as Daisy Ridley is concerned, the most impressive thing about her performance in Murder on the Orient Express it's how well she stood out among such a talented cast. The cast of Murder on the Orient Express It featured big stars like Johnny Depp, Dame Judi Dench, Willem Dafoe and many more. They easily could have overshadowed Ridley, who was still an emerging star at the time, but she still managed to stand out and make the film a memorable part of her filmography.. With such fierce competition, this is no simple task.

6

The Inventor – Marguerite

Ridley's role as Marguerite gave her the chance to showcase her singing talents

Ridley's other voice acting role, as Princess Marguerite in The Inventoris one of his most underrated performances. The Inventor It didn't make much of a splash when it came out in 2023, but it was a big part of that year. From its unique blend of 2D and stop-motion animation to its enchanting take on Leonardo da Vinci's story, The Inventor It's still worth watching. Another great reason to watch The Inventor it's because it presents a rare singing role for Daisy Ridley, who has a surprisingly good musical voice.

Although Ridley's singing abilities are a highlight of The Inventorthey're not the only reason Marguerite is one of her best roles. Leonardo da Vinci (Stephen Fry) is the main attraction of The Inventorand most people have probably never heard of Princess Marguerite before. Despite playing a historical figure known primarily for patronizing another historical figure, Ridley made Marguerite her own. His dubbing lent itself beautifully to The Inventorand she elevated Marguerite into a character as compelling as Da Vinci himself.

5

Pega – Annette

Daisy Ridley is the driving force behind Magpie's intense emotions and psychological story

In HandleDaisy Ridley plays Annette, a mother and wife who begins to suspect that her husband, Ben (Shazad Latif), is about to start an affair with an actress. It's a thriller with a strong focus on the psychological, and most of that is up to Ridley's character to convey. Fortunately, Ridley more than delivered: she surprised as Annette and acts as the basis of a film that was able to become a very engaging and suspenseful story.. Without Ridley, Handle it would have been a forgettable thriller instead of the acclaimed film that it is.

Annette is also a special character for Ridley because she has so much range. Throughout HandleAnnette goes from depressed to completely furious and back again. Ridley handles each mood Annette feels with extreme care and manages to make the film's calmer moments as moving as the intense scenes.. Even without a lightsaber, Ridley managed to do Handle in an exciting and suspenseful experience.

4

Ophelia – Ophelia

Bringing one of Shakespeare's greatest characters to life wasn't easy, but Ridley more than succeeded

Playing a character created by William Shakespeare is often a proverbial Holy Grail for actors, and Daisy Ridley's chance to do so was special in its own way. Ridley played the eponymous character in 2018 Opheliaa reinterpretation of Shakespeare's work Village told from the perspective of Hamlet's love interest. In VillageOphelia eventually goes insane and dies from drowning, so Ridley had a difficult task from the start when his film decided to delve deeper into Ophelia's decline. Despite the challenge, Ophelia is one of Ridley's best films and one of his best roles.

Ophelia it also stands out in Daisy Ridley's filmography for being one of her most daring roles. Reinterpreting Shakespeare is nothing new, but fundamentally changing a play as beloved as Village It was far from a safe bet. Ophelia really suffered from comparisons with Village – has 58% in Rotten tomatoes – but that doesn't mean it wasn't impressive of Ridley to play the role.

3

Only yesterday – Taeko

Ridley's strongest voice acting role was in a Studio Ghibli classic

The best moment in Daisy Ridley's voice acting career came in 2016, when Studio Ghibli's English dub Only yesterday it was finally released. In Only yesterdayRidley voices Taeko, a woman who goes to the countryside to remember her childhood and reevaluate her work-dominated adult life. It is both an unusual Studio Ghibli film – in that it does not feature supernatural or fantastic elements – and an unusual role for Daisy Ridley. In addition to being bubbly, Taeko is also one of Ridley's most nuanced and contemplative characters, and she did an excellent job of conveying all the melancholy and melancholy that Taeko experienced when revisiting her childhood.

Another reason Only yesterday This achievement for Ridley is simply being a natural voice actor. Voicing an existing animation made specifically for the Japanese language is not easy. A voice actor often needs to change their usual speaking pace to suit the scene and the speed of the original actor in a language that is generally spoken faster than English. Ridley, however, made it seem like it wasn't even a challenge, and the English dub of Only yesterday It almost looks like it was designed to be in English. That's a sign of how talented Ridley is in the recording booth.

2

Sometimes I think about dying – Fran

Ridley's role in Sometimes I Think About Dying was dark and exceptionally nuanced

Sometimes I think about dying is very different from the rest of Daisy Ridley's filmography, and that turns out to be an exceptionally good thing. In Sometimes I think about dyingRidley plays Fran, a woman who often fantasizes about her own death, even as she begins a relationship with Robert (Dave Merheje).. It's a quiet, eccentric, contemplative film with a very dark and somber sense of humor, but it's also curiously endearing because of how Ridley approached his role. Throughout the film, it's clear that Ridley took the time to learn every corner of Fran's mind, which paid dividends.

Dark comedy, especially with a tone as melancholic and morbid as Sometimes I think about dying's, is never easy to accomplish. It would have been very easy for Ridley's performance as Fran to seem overly sad or unnerving, but she more than succeeds in making Fran a sympathetic protagonist.. It would also have been easy for Fran's serious humor to seem simply awkward, but Ridley deftly walks the line between too serious and too playful. Sometimes I think about dying put Ridley in a role she'd never come before, and she nailed it.

1

The Young Woman and the Sea – Trudy Ederle

Ridley's portrayal of Trudy Ederle was uplifting and triumphant

Although she has played a wide variety of interesting fictional characters, Daisy Ridley's best role has been Star Wars it was like a real person. In Young woman and the seaRidley played Trudy Ederle, the first woman to swim across the English Channel. Young woman and the sea traces Ederle's journey to great athletic achievement, and Ridley does a fantastic job of conveying all the challenges and triumphs that such an endeavor entails.. Playing a real person and conveying all their nuances and historical feats is never an easy task, but Ridley did it masterfully.

In addition to playing a real person, Young woman and the sea it was an impressive performance from Ridley for several other reasons. There were many opportunities for Ridley to command a scene and quietly convey many emotions, a skill she is becoming known for. There are also more fiery displays of passion, and all the swimming Trudy did in Young woman and the sea forced Ridley into an impressive and physically demanding performance. Young woman and the sea may not be as iconic as Star Warsbut it is one of Daisy RidleyIt's much better.