Carrie Fisher Warned Daisy Ridley Not to ‘Settle’ For Being a ‘Sex Symbol’ the Same Way She Was
Carrie Fisher was one of the most iconic actors in the Star Wars universe. As Princess Leia, Fisher inspired legions of young women all around the world to not settle for what was dictated by the patriarchy and to take their destinies into their own hands. Although Princess Leia is a powerful, strong character, she was also undoubtedly a sex symbol.
Fisher didn’t always love the requirements and press that came with that designation, and when it came time for Fisher to work with Daisy Ridley, who played Rey in the Star Wars sequel trilogy, she had some very distinct advice for the young actor.
Carrie Fisher portrayed Princess Leia in ‘Star Wars’
Fisher shot to fame thanks to her role as Princess Leia. She first portrayed Leia in the 1977 film Star Wars, going on to reprise the role in the hit sequel Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back. By 1983, Star Wars had become a major cultural phenomenon, with the stars of the film all going on to achieve icon status.
This is especially true in the case of Fisher – and when she reprised the role of Leia again in that year’s Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, all eyes were on her. In the film, Fisher appeared in one sequence wearing a metallic gold bikini. As the slave of the villainous Jabba the Hutt, Leia would later use the chain tying her to Hutt to strange the crime lord. However, it was her outfit in the scene that really made waves, with the costume taking on a life of its own.
According to BuzzFeed, Fisher would later open up about the outfit, noting that it “wasn’t her choice” and that Star Wars creator George Lucas was insistent on the bikini. “It made me very nervous. I had to sit very straight because I couldn’t have lines on my sides, like little creases. No creases were allowed, so I had to sit very, very rigid straight,” Fisher recalled.
What did Carrie Fisher tell Daisy Ridley about not ‘settling’ for sex symbol status?
After decades as a Hollywood sex symbol, Fisher knew exactly what she wanted to tell her Star Wars: The Force Awakens co-star, Daisy Ridley, who portrayed the Force-sensitive scavenger Rey. As BuzzFeed notes, Fisher told Ridley that she should not “settle for simply being a sex symbol. You should fight for your outfit. Don’t be a slave like I was.”
Notably, Ridley remained covered up throughout the entire sequel trilogy, wearing comfortable costumes that didn’t require her to show any skin. It seems as though Ridley took Fisher’s advice to heart and might even have imparted her suggestions to the wardrobe department. Ridley went on to achieve her own level of fame without rocking any skimpy outfits in the sequel trilogy.
Carrie Fisher was a mentor to Daisy Ridley
Fisher didn’t just give Ridley costume advice. The icon also imparted some dating advice to Ridley, telling her that after she becomes famous due to her Star Wars role, the actor would struggle to get dates with “normal” people. Fisher told Ridley that many men would want to date her only because of her character, Rey.
Ridley also noted that Fisher told her about the dark side of fame, possibly in an effort to prepare the actor for the tough entertainment industry. Sadly, Fisher died in December 2016 at the age of 60. While the iconic actor might have left the world far too soon, her wisdom and her influence lives on to this day.
