Daisy Ridley says she understands why some fans were upset by The Last Jedi

Last Updated on August 5, 2021

In addition to today's unveiling of a new trailer for Rian Johnson's upcoming whodunit mystery, KNIVES OUT, comes new comments from Star Wars actress, Daisy Ridley, on the STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI filmmaker's much-maligned chapter of the beloved space saga.

Recently while speaking with USAToday, Ridley, who plays Rey in the latest Star Wars trilogy, expressed her understanding about why some fans were frustrated by Johnson's film.

"I wasn't surprised, no," Ridely admitted. "It’s just a different thing. Everyone’s going to have an opinion now anyway on the internet, but I also think it’s fair. If people hold something incredibly dear and think they know how it should be and it's not like that, it’s fair for people to think they were done wrong. It doesn’t mean they were – ultimately, Rian’s a filmmaker and one person can’t dictate how a film is supposed to be – but freedom of expression, sure."

Rather than throw chum into already choppy waters, Ridley has chosen to take a more level-headed and honest approach to her thoughts concerning the Last Jedi backlash. Though she was directly involved with the making of the film, and her opinion could be viewed by some as biased, perhaps those who'd felt burned by Johnson's chapter could ease up a bit? After all, Star Wars isn't going anywhere anytime soon, and the best part about playing in a vast, open-ended universe is that you get to write new stories and introduce new characters. Granted, it's sometimes hard to say goodbye to fan-favorite characters, but that doesn't mean that they can't live on in your hearts and minds. Is that a cheesy thing to say? You're damn right it is, though I'm sure my words will ring true for at least a handful of people.

Daisy Ridley will return as Rey when STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER blasts into theaters on December 20, 2019. The highly-anticipated film directed and co-written by J.J. Abrams stars Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong’o, Domhnall Gleeson, Kelly Marie Tran, Joonas Suotamo, Billie Lourd, Keri Russell, Anthony Daniels, Mark Hamill, Billy Dee Williams and Carrie Fisher, with Naomi Ackie and Richard E. Grant.

May the force be with you, always.