Daisy Ridley is the new star in the latest Star Wars trilogy, portraying lead protagonist Rey. Even though she is a new addition to the saga, that doesn't mean she isn't in tune with the impact of the space opera series to the lives of people.
In a recent interview with The Big Issue, the 24-year-old English actress discussed how fantasy films aren't merely an escape, but it also helps people respond better to their problems. She said:
Maybe that's because people are able to express themselves more easily when it's tied to something that's not totally real.
When you watch something you feel removed from, it becomes that incredible thing of it feeling very close and very far away. You probably have a bigger emotional reaction than reading a newspaper and just seeing facts and figures [because] instead you see someone's life play out, their soul, and the way they react and respond to the world around them.
Of course, when speaking about emotions and death, it can't be helped that the interview would touch upon the subject of Han Solo's death. Asked about the significance of the character's death, Ridley went on to explain why it had a philosophical impact on the fans. She said:
People die so awfully every day that if you experienced every grief the whole world would be a dark, dark place. So many awful things happened last year, and Han Solo dying, which was one of the last moments of the year, is some weird way of people experiencing that.
People are weighed down by awful things that are happening and what they see on the news. If everybody puts a piece of themselves into Han Solo and Han Solo dies – in the cinema, where it's dark – you can express it and it alleviates some of the pain. His death is obviously not as important as actual lives that are lost but people probably use it as some kind of carrier for the grief.
I never really thought of it that way, but now that Daisy mentioned it, despite the grief I felt over Han Solo's death, it is somewhat comforting that one isn't alone in their anguish.
This just reminds me of this new theory that suggests how Han's death is really what The Force Awakens is all about.
Ridley will reprise her role as Rey in Star Wars: Episode VIII, which just wrapped filming in Ireland earlier this week. The movie will hit theaters on December 15, 2017.
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