Daisy Ridley reveals why she quit Instagram
The Star Wars actress came off social media last September – and she says she's never going back
Daisy Ridley's casting as Rey in the revived Star Wars franchise established the young British actress as a global star overnight – and three and a half years on, she's still grappling with the impact of fame.
"Life suddenly got a bit different," she tells the new edition of Radio Times. "I'm definitely recognised more, but I find the whole taking pictures thing weird. I'd prefer to have a conversation than someone asking for a picture, but I guess people feel the need to prove they've had the interaction through social media."
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Ridley goes on to explain why she's removed her Instagram profile – a platform on which she used to post regularly. "I don't do social any more. I came off it last September and I will never get back on. The more I read about teenage anxiety, the more I think it's highly unhealthy for people's mental health. It's such a weird thing for young people to look at distorted images of things they should be."
The 25-year-old actress also speaks of her ambitions to do some work behind the scenes. Asked what she thinks she'll be like in 2050, she says: "I hope to have a degree by then. Maybe I'll step behind the camera a little by then, too. My mum has said to me that I should be a director because I'm so bossy. I keep telling her that's not what constitutes a good director!"
As for her future in the franchise – a hot topic in recent weeks – Ridley remains coy. "Never say never, but we've still got another one to do in this trilogy. Hopefully I'll get through the next year. After that, we can talk about the future."
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Read the full chat with Daisy Ridley in the new edition of Radio Times – a Star Wars special also featuring a big interview with The Last Jedi's Mark Hamill, available in shops and on the newsstand now:
