It’s not always easy for actors whose breakthrough role came as part of the Star Wars universe to find their place outside of it. But for Daisy Ridley, she’s acquitted herself quite nicely by staying true to herself. That has meant taking on projects that speak to her personally, such as the quirky indie drama Sometimes I Think About Dying or Disney’s uplifting sports drama Young Woman and the Sea. Ridley has also found a fondness for mystery thrillers, meeting her future husband screenwriter Tom Bateman while filming Kenneth Branagh’s Murder On the Orient Express. Ridley and Bateman have returned to that genre now with Magpie, a neo-noir based on a story she created.
In Magpie, Ridley plays a struggling mother of two who is pushed to the breaking point when her husband begins to fall in love with an actress. The domestic thriller tackles issues of motherhood, abandonment, adultery, and the movie business. Ridley came up with the story and worked with her husband on the screenplay.
I got to spend a few minutes talking with Daisy Ridley about Magpie. We discussed where the original idea came from and the many changes it went through. Ridley also talked about working with Bateman in crafting the story, and what the creative process was like for a film with such deep marital themes.
Magpie is open in theaters now!
