Daisy Ridley—who was working as a part-time barmaid before she landed her role as Rey in the new “Star Wars” franchise—has opened up about some of the darker parts of fame. The 27-year-old star opened up about how her “utter fear” of being followed led her to seek the help of a therapist.
“I’ve had a couple of stalking incidents and absolutely nothing can prepare you for the absolute fear you feel,” Daisy said in a recent interview with The Sun.
“The first one was in New York a couple of years back,” the star continued. “This really big guy followed me back to my hotel late at night. I didn’t know if he was just an obsessive fan or somebody with bad intentions, but any girl is going to be freaked out.”
Fortunately, the man didn’t harm the actress—but possibly because she started screaming and he ran away.
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“I can remember the utter fear that came over me. I had to have some therapy after that, it really scared me.” Daisy also pondered just how different her life would be if she hadn’t joined the mega-popular franchise, before adding that she still makes time for normal activities.
“You mentally prepare yourself that you aren’t going to be able to go out for dinner, to a bar or to the cinema like you used to. Star Wars has changed my life forever, but it hasn’t fundamentally changed who I am,” the actress said.
“You’ll still find me at home with a nice cup of tea and a box set.”
Daisy mentioned that she was semi-prepared for her rise to stardom because the late Carrie Fisher told her how much her life would change, adding that director JJ Abrams said that for some “Star Wars” fans, the franchise is “like a religion.”
“But I honestly don’t worry about that, as I am so boring,” Daisy joked.
Daisy is set to star in the next “Peter Rabbit” film, as well as sci-fi adventure film “Chaos Walking.”