Being cast as Rey in the Star Wars sequel trilogy was life-changing for Daisy Ridley, but Marvel star Jessica Henwick is grateful she did not land the role for herself.
Henwick, who portrays Colleen Wing in Iron Fist and The Defenders, is one of many actors who auditioned to play Rey. In 2020, she admitted that “it was very hard for me not getting it” while acknowledging that “Daisy did such an incredible job and it was 100 percent her journey to make. It wasn’t meant for me.” Henwick did end up appearing in The Force Awakens, but as a Resistance pilot named Jess Pava who helps destroy Starkiller Base.
During an interview with RadioTimes for her new show, Vladimir, Henwick looked back on her career and reveals that she is grateful to not have been cast as Rey. She does not believe she would have been well-suited to the massive level of instant stardom that would have come with being Rey and prefers “the slow burn” of getting more recognition. Check out Henwick’s comments below:
I look back now and realise it was for the best. I don’t think I am the type of person who would be able to handle that level of exposure that fast. I much prefer the slow burn.
After being a mostly unknown actor, Ridley being chosen for Rey made her a global star and one of the faces of Disney-era Star Wars. Between playing Colleen Wing in Marvel, Nymeria Sand in Game of Thrones, Bugs in The Matrix: Resurrections, Peg in Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, and Jess in The Force Awakens, she has starred in several major franchises, but her rise to stardom has been much more gradual. In addition to Netflix’s Vladimir, she also recently played a key role in the A24 film How to Make a Killing alongside Glen Powell and Margaret Qualley.
While The Force Awakens is the only Star Wars movie that Henwick has appeared in, Jess’ story has continued in comics and novels set during the sequel trilogy. As a member of Black Squadron, Jess is in numerous issues of the Poe Dameron comic series, as she becomes part of the mission to locate Lor San Tekka (Max Von Sydow) for the Resistance. She is also in the novel Resistance Reborn by Rebecca Roanhorse, which is set between The Last Jedi and The Rise of Skywalker, and shows the Resistance rebuilding after the Battle of Crait.
Jess’ last chronological appearance in Star Wars canon is after the Battle of Exegol in the comic issue Star Wars (2020) #25, as she and her fellow Black Squadron members mourn the loss of Temmin “Snap” Wexley (Greg Grunberg). Since the character is still alive in the post-Rise of Skywalker timeline, Henwick could potentially reprise the role of Jess for movies set in this era, including Star Wars: Starfighter or, perhaps most fittingly for the actor, the New Jedi Order film featuring Ridley playing Rey again.
Cast
Mark Hamill, James Earl Jones, David Prowse, Carrie Fisher, Harrison Ford, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Ian McDiarmid, Ewan McGregor, Rosario Dawson, Lars Mikkelsen, Rupert Friend, Moses Ingram, Frank Oz, Pedro Pascal
TV Show(s)
The Mandalorian, Andor, Obi-Wan Kenobi, The Book of Boba Fett, Ahsoka, The Acolyte, Star Wars: Skeleton Crew, Lando, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Star Wars Rebels, Star Wars: The Bad Batch, Star Wars: Resistance, Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures, Star Wars: Visions
Movie(s)
Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones, Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith, Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope, Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back, Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi, Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens, Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi, Star Wars: Episode IX- The Rise of Skywalker, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Solo: A Star Wars Story, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Star Wars: Dawn of the Jedi, Star Wars: New Jedi Order
Character(s)
Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Rey Skywalker, Emperor Palpatine / Darth Sidious, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Ahsoka Tano, Grand Admiral Thrawn, Grand Inquisitor, Reva (The Third Sister), The Fifth Brother, The Seventh Sister, The Eighth Brother, Yoda, Din Djarin, Grogu, Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader, Leia Organa, Ben Solo/Kylo Ren