Daisy Ridley charmed us in Star Wars: The Force Awakens with her feisty determination and empathy. But before she could work her magic onscreen, she had to use the force (of her talent) on the casting directors.
Thanks to Star Wars UK’s YouTube channel—which is releasing snippets of The Force Awakens bonus features—we get to see her working that audition like a boss.
In this clip, above, J.J. Abrams says, “It wasn’t until we found Daisy that we just felt like she was capable of doing all these things that this character required.” One particular requirement: the ability to endure a Force probe from Kylo Ren.
This is where Ridley shines. Starting at 0:43, we see her struggle to endure while managing to stay strong. It’s a great moment, because she made it great.
Actors who need to cry on cue frequently draw upon a painful memory, like the death of a loved one. I don’t know what painful thought Ridley conjured to cry like she did. I can only imagine it was, “If you don’t get this audition, you will never be in Star Wars.”
Instant waterworks.
Good news for Ridley: Now that The Force Awakens is her calling card, she will likely never have to endure a grueling audition again.
Feature Image Credit: Disney/Star Wars