Rey might be your favorite "Star Wars" character, but believe it or not, even Jedi have to deal with Internet haters. Daisy Ridley, who portrays Rey in the blockbuster franchise, shut down body shamers after a social media user criticized her for perpetuating "unrealistic expectations."
Ridley was made aware of an Instagram meme of her character from "The Force Awakens," which features a speech bubble with text stating, “I can’t believe the unrealistic expectations I’m setting for young girls. Who cast me anyway? Don’t they know real women haves curves?”
The 23-year-old addressed the user who created the meme by posting a screengrab, according to Entertainment Tonight, writing in the caption, "'Real women' are all shapes and sizes, all ethnicities, all levels of brave, have families, don't have families. I am a 'real women' like every other woman in this world."
Unfortunately, the Internet continued to disappoint. Followers of the English actress started sending hateful messages to the creator of the meme, forcing Ridley to take down her initial post and further elaborate her point in a powerful Instagram essay.
"Guys it was not my intention for anyone to send messages to that poor person that posted the original picture," she wrote in the caption. "My whole post is about being kind to each other, so please refrain!"
Read the entire post below:
“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 #IWD post," Ridley wrote.
On Tuesday, the actress posted a photo in celebration of International Women's Day, which inexplicably elicited negative responses from some of her followers.
"For anyone who has a problem with ANYONE in life, be them someone you know or someone you don't, remember that expression, if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all," she concluded. "Kindness isn't going to cure the world of all its awfulness but it's a good place to to begin."
Well said, Daisy.
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