We need more young stars like her.
Sometimes a star arises who is just absolutely necessary as a role model for young girls and boys. The latest is Daisy Ridley, who recently took to Instagram to share a very important, very genuine message about self-esteem and the truth about the effort but into the shots that raise beauty expectations for people everywhere.
Never change Daisy Ridley
We are loving the 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' star right now. Sure, there's plenty of stars out there promoting body confidence (look at Demi Lovato, Jennifer Lawrence, Lena Dunham etc.), but Daisy Ridley has hit us right where it matters several times recently. So here's a list of reasons why we love her, and why you should too:
More: Could Daisy Ridley be the next Lara Croft?
1. She's badass - She plays the lead in the new 'Star Wars' movie, and Rey is as feisty as can be. She's a scavenger who lives alone and she can certainly take care of herself despite the daily threats that surround her in the Jakku desert. She can repair spaceships as well as fly them, she has some serious light saber prowess and she there's also her incredible Jedi abilities. Ridley's character is teaching girls many things; you can be female and still be an excellent fighter, a mechanic, a pilot and the star of a internationally acclaimed action movie.
2. She's breaking down beauty expectations - This week she reminded us all the reality behind statements like 'I woke up like this' 'no filter' and 'no make-up' on people's Instagram and Snapchat selfies. The fact that they actually mean, 'This is me on a good day after 25 attempts at getting the shot right'. Ridley told her Instagram followers: 'Social media is great but also a bit scary cause what people post is the most filtered, most carefully chosen and cleverly edited moments of their lives. And self esteem is a huge issue for people around the world. My skin isn't great so I don't post no make up selfies, much as I'd like to; I have a trainer urging me on in workouts and don't include all the times I say 'I can't do it' and I don't smile all the time but I like to share the pictures where I am. But I actually do love myself.'
3. She fights against her body-shamers - It isn't just curvy stars that get called out for their body shapes; Daisy Ridley is tired of being told she's too thin, especially in a world where that seems to be the goal. When she spotted a meme of her 'Star Wars' character next to a speech bubble reading '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?', she made her feelings on body-shaming very clear. ''Real women' are all shapes and sizes, all ethnicities, all levels of brave. I am a 'real woman' like every other woman in this world', she replied, adding in a longer post on Instagram: 'I will not apologise for how I look.'
4. She eats whatever the hell she wants - Y'know when stars post pictures of a piece of lettuce on social media with hashtags like #greenliving, #rawtil4 and #cleaneating? Yeah, Daisy Ridley is sooo not about that. In fact, scrolling through her Instagram page, the food shots we see include burgers, pizza, cake... and a banana. And she doesn't feel guilty in the slightest.
5. She's strong - She does some seriously intense work-outs with her trainer, including strength training. We respect anyone who can bunny hop like she can, squat with heavy barbells and run with a parachute attached to her. And then we see her giving 64-year-old Mark Hamill a piggy back. No wonder she treats herself with burgers, cake and pizza.
6. She doesn't take herself seriously - She's not afraid to show how starstruck she is with her newfound fame bringing her into contact with some of her biggest heroes, and she's not afraid to show the more ridiculous memes like the Fin and Ray meme (Finn and Rey's heads on a shark and stringray respectively). Plus, as much as she's against posting no-make-up selfies, she doesn't mind unveiling the 'ugly face' ones.
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