Daisy Ridley Will Most Likely Play a Skywalker in 'The Force Awakens'
Lucasfilm head Kathleen Kennedy may have shed light on Ridley's mysterious character.
Kathleen Kennedy is the unsung hero of the new Star Wars game plan. As the head of Lucasfilm, the production company formerly headed by George Lucas, she oversees how the new trilogy and its offshoots weave together. Knowing that, her comments at a recent event could shed some light on who one of the main characters in The Force Awakens truly is.
At Fortune’s Most Powerful Women Summit in Washington D.C. this past week, the executive spoke about making Rey, played by British actress Daisy Ridley, one of the lead characters in the next Star Wars movie. “Having a balance of men and women in the room changes the story,” she said. “The dialogue, the point of view.”
The larger conversation was rooted in making the Star Wars universe more inclusive. Despite the fact that the series has always had women fans and fans of color, positioning a woman and a black man as the lead characters is a new and — as Kennedy points out — intentional development. Eventually she said, “There’s nothing we’d like more than to find a female director for Star Wars.”
When The Guardian asked Kennedy about Rey specifically, she told them the character would be “extremely significant” to the plot, but neglected to explain any further saying, “I don’t want to spoil the story.”
Ridley and actor John Boyega in 'The Force Awakens'
This nugget is fascinating for a few reasons. It allows Kennedy to tie the sentiment to her broader point about making Star Wars for a more diverse audience. But it could also backhandedly verify Rey’s backstory. If Rey is “extremely significant” to the story, as Kennedy says, it means she’s most likely the daughter of either Luke or Leia. Since Luke is a Jedi, and they’re a clergy-like order that takes a vow of celibacy, she’s most likely the progeny of Leia and Han Solo.
Not only will we probably see the continuing adventures of the next generations of Skywalkers or Solos for awhile, we’ll also see a more diverse representation of people onscreen. This is truly a forward-thinking galaxy, set a long time ago.
