Star Wars role feels 'very odd' for star Daisy Ridley

Daisy Ridley smiles during a press conference in Tokyo on Dec 11, 2015. PHOTO: EPA

LOS ANGELES (REUTERS) - When the much-anticipated Star Wars film opens next week, little-known British actress Daisy Ridley will undoubtedly become one of the most recognised faces in the world.

The 23-year-old plays scavenger Rey in The Force Awakens, a central character in the sci-fi movie.

The reality of getting such a coveted role has not yet sunk in for the actress, whose past credits include a few television series appearances.

"It's not ever something I pictured, so it's a very odd thing, very odd," Ridley told Reuters in an interview.

"When I first got cast, no one could know, so it's three months of me going 'alright I can deal with this, this is me'," she said.

"And then everyone else knew, and it was like 'OK, there's a few more people to deal with now'."

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Actors from the new Star Wars film The Force Awakens talk about their characters ahead of the movie's premiere in Los Angeles.

The Force Awakens, the first Star Wars film in 10 years, also stars the saga's old hands Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher and Mark Hamill, as well as newcomers John Boyega and Oscar winner Lupita Nyong'o.

"I started auditioning two years ago... and it took like seven months and five auditions and then I got cast," Ridley said.

"I think they were just seeing many, many girls because obviously, if they weren't, then I would never have been seen."

Details have been kept secret ahead of the film's premiere in Los Angeles on Monday except for a few outlines about the characters.

"It's incredibly funny but touching, and the story obviously is character-led, so there's all of the fun stuff," Ridley said.

"And then there's just a wonderful human story at the centre of it."

Ridley is one of the few people who has seen the film ahead of its premiere.

She said her reaction after was unexpected.

"I pretended that I was fine for about an hour and then got in the car and wept the whole way to the airport," she said.

"Many, many tears."

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