How Star Wars actors’ careers have changed through the decades

12. Daisy Ridley

This list wouldn’t be complete, and neither would the Skywalker saga, without looking at the woman who brought Rey to life, Daisy Ridley. As Rey, Ridley managed to evoke the loneliness of Luke Skywalker and the fierceness of Leia Organa from the original trilogy while creating a role that was entirely her own.

Prior to her casting, Ridley worked steadily in British television, landing numerous small roles before The Force Awakens came through.

For the first time, fans saw a woman at the center of the action in Star Wars, who wasn’t just relegated to a side character. Better yet, Ridley could hold her own against fellow newcomer Adam Driver as Kylo Ren. Ridley’s stunt ability was only matched by her acting ability, both of which improved across the three films.

As the lead of the sequel trilogy, Ridley proved she had the talent and the chops to be a massive star, but the time needed to do that kept her from producing as much work in between sequels as her co-stars.

Since wrapping the sequel trilogy, Ridley has done voice-over work on a few different projects. Most recently, she’s starred alongside Tom Holland in the highly anticipated young adult adaptation Chaos Walking, furthering her career as an action star.

Ridley also has three films in pre-production, which means fans won’t have to wait long before they see her on-screen again.

Which Star Wars actor do you think has influenced the canon the most? Tell us in the comments below!