“Star
Wars” newcomer Daisy Ridley is getting advice from a franchise legend –
Princess Leia herself, Carrie Fisher!
In a conversation
for Interview magazine published online on Friday, the Hollywood veteran
chatted with her 23-year-old “The Force Awakens” co-star about what
she can expect as the iconic series’ fresh female face.
“It’s
hard to date once you’re a big ‘Star Wars’
star because you don’t want to give people the ability to say, ‘I had sex with
Princess Leia,'” Carrie said, telling Daisy she may want to brace herself
for the consequences of instant fame.
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“Oh,
you’re going to have people have fantasies about you! That will make you
uncomfortable, I’m guessing,” she added.
Daisy,
who portrays desert scavenger Rey in the anticipated sequel, said she’s already
been asked to use Carrie’s “Star Wars” legacy as a point of
reference.
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“They
always talk about how you’re a sex symbol, and how do I feel about that,”
she said, laughing, “I’m not a sex symbol!”
Carrie
pointed out that her character’s cultural status doesn’t necessarily translate
to her real-life identity – a piece of wisdom she hopes Daisy takes to heart.
“Listen! I am not a sex symbol, so that’s
an opinion of someone. I don’t share that,” she said, using Leia’s famous
gold bikini from “Return of the Jedi” as an educational metaphor for
her young colleague.
“You
should fight for your outfit. Don’t be a slave like I was. You keep
fighting against that slave outfit,” she added.
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“All
right, I’ll fight,” Daisy replied.
Daisy
likely welcomed the guidance – the Brit said she’d already considered Carrie a
role model, and admired how she helped lay the groundwork for future sci-fi
heroines.
“People
have been asking me about crushes out of the original film, and I say you every
time,” Daisy said. “They were like, ‘Is there anyone you particularly
look up to?’ And I’m like, ‘Well, Carrie, obviously. … You’re a kick-ass
woman.”
“I’m your
predecessor, I think,” Carrie mused.
“Exactly,”
Daisy said. “You paved the way for all the girls.”
— Erin Biglow
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