Daisy Ridley. “I didn’t feel comfortable in this profession until the third Star Wars.

From hyperspace to open space. From one character who can lift spaceships with the sole “Force” of his mind to another who imagines himself hanging from a crane he can see from his office; The one we found in Rey, the scavenger who resurrected the Jedi in the final trilogy of the saga. Star Wars (Episodes IX, X, and XI), today Fran is a humble employee in a small port town in the northern United States. A self-absorbed young woman whose gray existence seems to leave no more mark on her colleagues than on her sofa. And who imagines himself as a beautiful corpse in dreamy and colorful scenes to escape. Until one day, a new colleague invites him to go to the movies.

Miss Fran’s Dream Life! (The French title is undoubtedly considered more catchy than the original, Sometimes I think about dying – Sometimes I think about dying, Editor’s Note), is a film with disarming charm, a minimalist and independent UFO, whose subtle vision from director Rachel Lambert and original soundtrack worthy of a fairy tale elevates the strangeness. A story of modern loneliness that anyone can find themselves in, where the British actress can show both her stubborn side and her fragility.

Madame Figaro: Fran is a complex character. How did you approach it?

Daisy Ridley: I felt close to her for the first time when I read the end of the script when she asks Robert, her co-worker with whom she has grown close, if he wishes he had never known her. I cried my eyes out, “Oh my god, poor thing!” It seems to be a question he’s had all his life, a question he’d like to ask everyone he met; it would be better if he never was. In the original script, there was a voiceover throughout the film that we ended up not keeping, which helped me understand it more quickly. I’m nothing like Fran, but I think she’s very human. He has a hard time connecting with others, but sometimes he can be funny, mischievous… I love all his interactions in the film, we realize that he is not made of one block, but of many different elements. Sure, she’s attracted to Robert, but for her it’s mostly something to get over. This last scene, to me, is the bravest thing you can say to someone. “This is who I am. I haven’t told anyone about it yet, but I want to try to be honest, and I’m not used to it. that”. Seeing people try to connect with others, even if it’s very difficult for them, I think it’s great.

The film seems almost timeless because although Fran has a hard time connecting with her peers, she is never engrossed in her phone, never “disconnected” from others because of it… She is atypical.

Yes! His inner life is very rich, it suits him. And he struggles to have as much wealth in the real world as he does in his fantasy world. Fran likes her daily routine, likes to work in the office. It’s not that he doesn’t like being alive, it’s just that putting all these elements together to maintain relationships with others is very difficult for him. His dreams of death do not mean that he wants to die. I think it’s a matter of control. when you are alone, in your thoughts, you are in an environment that you have complete control over. Whether we imagine the best or the worst, we know where our thoughts will take us, as opposed to what happens in real life.

His visions of death are both morbid and very poetic…

Above all, I am infused with their great serenity, as when he imagines himself lying on a beach or in a forest. There is a strange juxtaposition in that these scenes are scary but not too scary. It’s like when you imagine your own funeral. who would be there, who would cry… Honestly, it happened to me like everyone else, right? These afternoons are Fran’s version of this fantasy. And it probably has to do with the fact that it prevents him from experiencing things in real life.

It’s a very intimate, strange film, but one we can easily get into. How do you explain that?

Most people don’t look like Fran, but I think everyone knows someone who does. And sometimes it feels a bit like it. I first I sometimes say to myself “Oh my God, I don’t know how to deal with other people” and it bothers me a lot. I also know people who blush as soon as they open their mouths because they are afraid of looking stupid. Others who can’t spend quiet time with someone without saying anything without having a panic attack. Fran is a complex character, which perhaps explains why the reactions to the film are so contradictory. Some find it very sad, some see humor in it. There are people who think Fran is depressed. Someone even asked me if he was autistic, absolutely not. When my mother saw it, she cried a lot. He told me it was because he didn’t recognize me. “Fran has your face, but I feel so sad for her.” It’s interesting because that’s not what I felt during the filming. I even enjoyed playing it quite a bit.

Fran shares a personality trait with Ray, your personality Star Wars He is sometimes his enemy, he sets barriers for himself…

I wouldn’t say that about Ray. it is mainly circumstances that put obstacles in his way. On the other hand, these are characters who have to overcome something, be it within themselves or around them. They have different ways of expressing it, but both are determined to do their best. But I can say this about all the characters I play. they do their best to do what is right. Whether it’s saving the universe or just telling someone honestly what’s on your mind.

Why do you think you are given this type of role?

That’s a very good question. And it is very strange. Recently, a friend whom I had not seen for a long time said that I have always been determined in everything I do. I didn’t remember that at all. But, for example, I like to play quizzes. I don’t necessarily have a competitive spirit, it’s not that I don’t want others to not win, but I want to know the answers and I take that to heart. This is between me and myself. So it’s weird, but yes, I have it in me. determination to face whatever I face.

Even if it means putting a lot of pressure on yourself.

Yes! It actually took me a long time to feel comfortable in my job. Probably when I shot my third Star Wars (Episode IX. The Rise of Skywalker, released in 2019). With the first one, I had these little inner voices that kept saying, “I’m not the one who should play this role, they should have chosen someone else, blah blah blah.” But during the third one, I felt like I understood what I was bringing to the table. I worked very, very hard and finally told myself that I had the right to be there.

Did playing a Jedi in particular help you gain confidence? Or to take part in such a legendary saga anyway?

I don’t know. I remember thinking that at 21, no one would care what I had to say. That I would end up with very experienced people who really knew what they were doing and that my questions would seem very childish. I’ve known people whose first movies were terrible experiences. But I was greeted with great respect and elegance. I was immediately treated like an adult. And it helps a lot with self-confidence. I will thank JJ Abrams (Director of episodes VII and IX, editor’s note) until the end of my days. So is Rachel, although they are two very different filmmakers; he treated me with respect and gave me the freedom to try things without feeling judged if it didn’t work out. But in general, there are moments when I feel very good, and others when I wonder what I’m doing here. It’s a delicate balance.

You will soon find Ray’s character, in the new episode of Star Wars directed by Sharmeen Obeid-Chinoy, scheduled for release in 2026. What do you feel?

I am happy. Charmin is great. I saw her documentaries (about the status of women and honor killings in Pakistan, Editor’s note), and his shooting method is very bold, incredible. I haven’t read the script or anything yet, but I know the story and it’s great. I believe people will be happy.

Miss Fran’s Dream Life by Rachel Lambert (2024), in theaters.