“Star Wars” actor Daisy Ridley told Jimmy Kimmel on Wednesday that her sharp retort to a Ted Cruz insult concerned her at first. (Watch the video below.)
“The Force Awakens” star was thrust into the GOP Texas senator’s orbit recently when he defended Gina Carano, “The Mandalorian” regular who was fired for offensive online posts.
Cruz praised Carano’s character Cara Dune by writing she was “not some emotionally tortured Jedi” ― a dig at Ridley’s character’s Rey in “Star Wars” films.
So when an interviewer brought up the diss, Ridley cheekily responded: “I am very happy to be an emotionally tortured Jedi who doesn’t leave their state when it’s having a terrible time.” The actor of course was referring to Cruz’s beach trip to Cancun during his state’s deadly cold snap that left many without heat and clean water.
As Ridley, who now stars in the movie “Chaos Walking,” became aware that her comment was gaining attention, she said she had forgotten what she said and panic overtook her as she was about to enter another interview.
“I said something about American politics and people hate when actors talk about politics and I thought, ‘Oh, my God what have I done?’”
But then she received texts from “Force Awakens” director J.J. Abrams and actor Josh Gad declaring her comment “badass.”
All was OK in her universe.
Watch the whole interview or fast-forward to 11:00 for their chat about Cruz.
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