It looks like it’s a good thing that the next two ‘Star Wars’ movies are the final chapters of the trilogy of trilogies, with Disney turning to Rian Johnson to fabricate a new, unrelated series after this one wraps. Daisy Ridley for one seems ready to move on from portraying Rey, the young possible ‘Last Jedi’ who was introduced in 2015’s ‘The Force Awakens’.
‘Rolling Stone‘ magazine features ‘The Last Jedi’ as its latest cover story featuring interviews with the cast and crew. In the article, when asked if her character would return after the third and final film in this cycle, Ridley replied matter-of-factly:
“No. For me, I didn’t really know what I was signing on to. I hadn’t read the script, but from what I could tell, it was really nice people involved, so I was just like, ‘Awesome.’ Now I think I am even luckier than I knew then, to be part of something that feels so like coming home now.
“No. No, no, no. I am really, really excited to do the third thing and round it out, because ultimately, what I was signing on to was three films. So in my head, it’s three films. I think it will feel like the right time to round it out.”
It’s not surprising. Almost anytime an actor lands a role in an iconic franchise, they wind up struggling to outgrow it and be seen as a true actor and not just that one famous character. (Just look at Leonard Nimoy, who once penned a memoir called ‘I Am Not Spock’.) Carrie Fisher and Mark Hamill struggled to move past Leia and Luke. Fisher landed a few more major roles but turned her attention to writing. Hamill landed the voice role of The Joker on ‘Batman: The Animated Series’, cementing his place in at least one more iconic role. More recently, has anyone heard from Hayden Christensen lately? Of course, there’s also Harrison Ford, but he is the exception to the rule.
Ford didn’t want to return as Han Solo in ‘The Force Awakens’ and reportedly only did so on the condition that his character be killed off. Fisher and Hamill also reprised their roles. Would Ridley be game to returning years down the line to play Rey again for a new generation?
“Who knows? I honestly feel like the world may end in the next 30 years, so, if in 30 years we are not living underground in a series of interconnected cells … then sure. Maybe. But again, it’s like, who knows. Because the thing I thought was so amazing, was people really wanted it. And it was done by people who really love it.
“How old will I be?… Fuck. I can’t think that far ahead.”
Directed by Rian Johnson, ‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’ stars Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Billie Lourd, Domhnall Gleeson, Gwendoline Christie, Benicio Del Toro, Andy Serkis, Laura Dern, Lupita Nyong’o, Warwick Davis, Peter Mayhew, Anthony Daniels, and Jimmy Vee.
‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’ will be released in US theaters on December 15, 2017.
