Who Are Rey’s Parents? Daisy Ridley Knows and Says It’s Not Even That Important
One of the biggest questions (of many) to come out of Star Wars: The Force Awakens was, Who are Rey’s parents? Much is made in the film of Rey being an orphan and left behind on Jakku with Unkar Plutt, slowly counting down the days until her family returns for her (spoiler alert: they never do). The issue of Rey’s parents has become such a hot issue that any time a Star Wars movie casts a woman, the internet immediately leaps to the conclusion that this woman must be Rey’s mother. Laura Dern? REY’S MOTHER! Felicity Jones? REY’S MOTHER! Daisy Ridley knows who Rey’s parents really are, and she think you guys need to totally relax, because it’s not even a big deal, OK?
MTV caught up with Ridley at the MTV Movie Awards and couldn’t resist asking her about Rey’s parents, mostly because the internet just went into a frenzy the other day when the Rogue One: A Star Wars Story trailer debuted and the lead character Jyn kinda, maybe, sorta looked like Rey if you squinted. “I’m not being funny you guys,” Ridley said, “but just because [Jyn] is white and got brown hair… it doesn’t mean she’s my mom.”
Well, OK Ms. Smartypants, if Jyn isn’t your mom (which, let’s be honest, was a pretty half-baked theory if there ever was one), who are your parents?
I think the amazing thing about [The Force Awakens] is that Finn and Rey don’t come from anywhere, and they find a place. So to me, it’s funny that people think it’s so important because I don’t really think it is.
So, it’s not about who Rey’s parents are, it’s about who they’re not? I think what she’s saying is that it’s far more important to Rey’s development as a character that she was an orphan, not that she’s the daughter of Persons X and Y. Now, we reserve the right to change that opinion if her father really is Luke Skywalker, because duh, if your dad is Luke Skywalker, that’s a pretty important thing.
When pressed further about the details of Star Wars: Episode 8 and whether or not her possible Dad would train her to be a Jedi, Ridley explained, “I don’t know if I am a Jedi… I don’t think I am.” Of course you’re not a Jedi yet, you haven’t fully completed the training because Star Wars: Episode 8 is still filming. (Also, real talk here: how could anyone become a Jedi in this era of Star Wars without the Jedi High Council? Does Luke have the power to perform the Knighting ceremony? Just how nerdy is this conversation we’re having right now?)
Despite her pleas, fans will still want to know who Rey’s parents are and will continue to speculate and theorize until that day comes when it is officially revealed. At which point they’ll all go, “Wait, are you SURE it’s not Laura Dern?”