Actress Daisy Ridley has denied that Star Wars fans are sexist, saying in a recent interview that the whole media narrative of toxic Star Wars fandom has been “blown out of proportion.”
The apparent peace offering to Star Wars fans occurred during an appearance Thursday on NBC’s Today show when co-host host Dylan Dryer asked the actress a leading question about so-called “extreme” Star Wars fans who object to female directors taking over the brand.
“I think my take is, things get blown out of proportion and the interactions that I’ve had with people have been nothing but wonderful and supportive,” Ridley replied.
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Daisy Ridley is set to reprise her role of Rey in a new Star Wars movie that is titled Star Wars: New Jedi Order, a sequel set 15 years after The Rise of Skywalker.
“And honestly the day that we announced that I was coming back… you cannot imagine the joy and goodwill in that room,” she continued. “I’ve only ever been embraced, and I think we’re gonna make a great film for people.”
The new movie will be directed by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, who has stated in the past that she wants to make men “uncomfortable.”
“I like to make men uncomfortable,” Obaid-Chinoy said of her films in 2015. “I enjoy making men uncomfortable.”
“It is important to be able to look into the eyes of a man and say ‘I am here,’” she continued, “and recognize that I am working to bring something that makes you uncomfortable and should make you uncomfortable, because you need to change your attitude.”
Lucasfilm chief Kathleen Kennedy has faced enormous criticism in recent years for the repeated failures of the Star Wars brand under her watch, beginning with The Last Jedi (2017).
The once invincible brand has been diluted by Disney+ series like The Mandalorian and Ahsoka, while subsequent attempts to resurrect the movie franchise have had a hard time getting off the ground.
But rather than hold Disney executives accountable for the mishaps, the mainstream news media have sought to blame “sexist” Star Wars fans.
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