From Star Wars to Magpie, Daisy Ridley Traces an Eclectic Career in SXSW Session

The day after the world premiere of her feature film Magpie, Daisy Ridley sat down on Sunday with moderator Mia Galuppo of The Hollywood Reporter to discuss her career, from the early days before her big break in Star Wars: The Force Awakens to her current projects that continue to highlight the actress’ range and talent.

“All I wanted to do was be a working actor, and it’s happening!” she gushed when discussing her latest SXSW premiere. Magpie was the first film she has been with from the ground up, she explained: She conceived the idea of the film on the set of The Marsh King’s Daughter with the help of her husband, the actor Tom Bateman, who eventually wrote the screenplay. On the set, Ridley’s young costar on the film “inspired the seed of Magpie.”

“We were like little buds,” Ridley recalled. She and Bateman were both drawn to this idea of a child actress’ father having an affair with the woman playing her pretend mother on set, while the real mother was at struggling home with a newborn baby. That’s when Ridley brought in producer Kate Solomon to help sculpt the story with her and Bateman. Ridley said she was involved in nearly every step of the process, making Magpie a film that’s very near to her heart, and she revealed she cried Saturday night when the credits rolled, overwhelmed by her journey with the film.

One of the things Ridley said she is most proud of with Magpie is fostering a great work environment on set – up to and including the production’s catering, explaining that she believes that being able to eat a good meal while sitting and chatting with the people around you in your rest time encourages a beautiful camaraderie on set. Ridley wanted to make her team feel appreciated on the film, she said, which doesn’t sound like a novel idea, but her excitement to share little details like that showed that she was a passionate, thoughtful leader.

Although Ridley enjoys being heavily involved in a production, she said her first passion will always be acting. Prior to landing The Force Awakens, Ridley refused to envision herself as anything other than an actress. “I do love psychology, I suppose? I think teachers are amazing, but I wouldn’t be one,” she said while laughing. She recounted her journey being cast in the Star Wars behemoth, remembering the heaviness of it, and her first “hello moment” at a convention where she was announced as Rey. Seeing fans travel to an event on that scale made her feel like she was part of a team that brings joy to people.

Throughout the session, it was clear that bringing joy was a through line in Ridley’s life, be it creating a welcoming space for people to eat lunch or starring in one of the biggest blockbuster sci-fi franchises of all time. Ridley’s charisma and charm were contagious, leaving the entire room smiling from ear to ear.

---

Featured Session: A Conversation with Daisy Ridley

Creating Film & TV

Sunday, March 10, 2:30pm, Austin Convention Center

---

Catch up with all of The Austin Chronicle's SXSW 2024 coverage.