Daisy Ridley: Star Wars actress vows never to apologise for her body

Ridley was tagged in a post claiming she sets unrealistic standards for women 

Heather Saul
Thursday 10 March 2016 15:53 GMT
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(Getty)

Daisy Ridley has promised never to apologise for her body shape after discovering a post suggesting she was setting “unrealistic” standards of beauty for young girls.

The actress, from London, was responding to an Instagram post criticising her for setting unrealistic standards for women because of her weight.

The post used a picture of Ridley from Star Wars: The Force Awakens with a speech bubble filled with text that read: “I can't believe the unrealistic expectations I'm setting for young girls. Who cast me anyway? Don't they know real women have curves?”

The 24-year-old responded in an Instagram post, which she has since deleted, that showed the user's name by writing: "I am a 'real woman' like every other woman in this world.

“I will not apologise for how I look, what I say and how I live my life ’cause what’s happening inside is much more important anyway and I am striving to be the best version of myself, even if I stumble along the way. It seems apt I get tagged in this a day after I received misogynistic comments on my [International Women’s Day] post.

In an updated post, she continued: “What's weird is most of the time I see such gorgeous messages from people around the world,” her updated post began.

“People who relate to something in Rey they haven't found in a female character before ... People who loved that The Force Awakens has multiple incredible female characters.

“It is much more hurtful to continue to slate other women than BE a woman, BE a character, BE whoever you want to be.

“I'm a normal girl thrust into extraordinary circumstances, just like Rey. I will not apologise for how I look, what I say and how I live my life because what's happening inside is much more important anyway and I am striving to be the best version of myself, even if I stumble along the way.”

Ridley has since implored her followers to stop messaging the user. “Guys it was not my intention for anyone to send messages to that poor person that posted the original picture,” she wrote. “My whole post is about being kind to each other, so please refrain!”

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