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The $4 billion character Saoirse Ronan fooled herself into thinking was hers to lose: “I don’t have the role”
Saoirse Ronan auditioned to play Rey in *Star Wars: The Force Awakens*, a role that ultimately went to Daisy Ridley. The article says Ronan later regretted speaking so publicly about the audition, as discussing it may have made her feel she had lost a part that was never hers.
Ronan auditioned in 2013, when little was known about Rey, and described the process as fun, including running around with a fake lightsaber. Other actors who tried out included Shailene Woodley, Eiza González, Jessica Henwick, Evan Rachel Wood and Billie Lourd. Ridley, then little known, was chosen for the role; the trilogy later earned more than $4 billion worldwide.
In short
- Saoirse Ronan auditioned to play Rey.
- Daisy Ridley was cast instead.
- Ronan later regretted talking publicly about the audition.
Explained simply
Star Wars is a long-running science-fiction film series created by George Lucas. The Force Awakens, released in 2015, began a new trilogy set years after the original films and introduced Rey, a young woman drawn into a conflict between the Resistance and the First Order.
Saoirse Ronan is an Irish actor who auditioned for Rey while the character and the film’s story were still largely secret. Daisy Ridley, who was relatively unknown at the time, was cast instead. Other actors also tried out, including Shailene Woodley, Eiza González and Jessica Henwick.
The three films featuring Rey earned more than $4 billion worldwide, making the role part of a major film franchise. Ronan later reflected on how speaking publicly about the audition may have made her think of the part as something she had lost, even though she had never been cast.