10 Best Daisy Ridley Movies, Ranked

Daisy Ridley exploded onto the pop culture stage in 2015 as Rey in the main protagonist of the Disney’s Star Wars sequel trilogy. Although she will likely always be remembered for her role as the promising young Jedi who saves the galaxy from her evil grandfather, she has gone on to piece together an interesting and varied career that is already worth celebrating. Like other successful actors who hit it big out of the gate with massive franchises, such as Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter), Kristen Stewart or Robert Pattinson (Twilight), Ridley is now in a position where she can focus on smaller, more creatively interesting movies rather than big blockbuster hits.

Whether it’s as a murder suspect in Murder on the Orient Express, Ophelia in a reimagining of William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, or just lending her voice to an anthropomorphic rabbit, Ridley has demonstrated an impressive range that is only going to continue to grow as her young career continues to evolve. 2024 is set to be a big year for Ridley.

Her 2023 Sundance film, Sometimes I Think About Dying, finally hit theaters in January 2024. Rumors have circulated that her next film, Young Woman and the Sea, could be moved up from a streaming release to a theatrical film. That movie will see her play Gertrude Erdele, the first woman to swim across the English Channel. In addition, Magpie, a neo-noir movie whose story she came up with and that her husband Tom Bateman developed into a screenplay, will debut at South by Southwest in March 2024. She is also in the process of filming Cleaner, a British action-thriller about activists and a hostage situation directed by Martin Campbell, as well as Mind Fall, a thriller by French director Matthieu Kassovitz. She will also reprise her role as Rey in an upcoming Star Wars film, reportedly set for release in either 2026 or 2027.

Ridley’s star is still on the rise, so in honor of that, here are her best movies, ranked.

Update February 21, 2024: Following the release of Sometimes I Think About Dying and more news about her return as Rey in Star Wars, this article has been updated with more great Dasiey Ridley performances and where to stream each one.

10 Peter Rabbit (2017)

First published at the turn of the 20th Century, Beatrix Potter’s Peter Rabbit books have been a staple in the libraries of young children all over the world for generations. Although the stories have inspired a few adaptations over the years, it wasn’t until 2018 that a feature-length film came out about the anthropomorphic rabbit. Peter Rabbit is about a conniving rabbit who makes life miserable for the nephew of a recently deceased farmer, who liked killing bunnies. Ridley plays Cotton-Tail, one of Peter’s triplet sisters.

Ridley Makes For a Great Voice Actor

Ridley brought to life the loose cannon of the family, Cotton-Tail, whose older triplets feel more like her twins since she is so different from them. From paranoia to feistiness to sugar highs, Ridley manages to express every facet of Cotton-Tail with only her voice. Although the plot may not be the stuff masterpieces are made of, the strength of its cast and the enthusiasm with which the story is told were charming enough to gross just a bit over seven times the film’s budget ($351.3 million against $50 million). Ridley did not return for the sequel, Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway with Aimee Horne taking over the role. Peter Rabbit is currently available to rent on Apple TV, Prime, and Vudu.

9 The Marsh King’s Daughter (2023)

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In The Marsh King’s Daughter, Ridley plays the adult version of a daughter whose mother was abducted and imprisoned in a swamp. As her supposedly own father is coming after her, Helena was taught a lot about survival, and she might just escape him. If Alice Vikander (Ex Machina, The Danish Girl) was originally set to star in this thriller, a change in direction gave Ridley the main role. It is not the first time that purely English actress Ridley worked with a Northern European production — it was already the case with Ophelia.

Ridley’s Latest Film Is Underrated

The film uses yellow filters and shallow focus a lot, bringing the focus to Helena as the sole tool for her own survival. If the film received pretty average reviews but many praised Ridley for her role as the falsely demure adult Helena, whose facial expressions tell so much about her inner thoughts. This film further proves that Ridley will as likely appear in both independent productions and smash hits in her near future. She has proved that she can truly do both — play a badass Jedi or a nondescript young woman. The Marsh King’s Daughter is currently available to rent on Apple TV, Prime and Vudu.

8 Ophelia (2019)

Ophelia

Release Date

June 28, 2019

Director

Claire McCarthy

Runtime

114

If almost everyone unconsciously knows about Shakespeare’s Hamlet and its father-son-uncle struggles through its loose adaptation in the form of Disney’s The Lion King, one may be unfamiliar with Hamlet’s potential love interest, Ophelia. The young woman could have been the prince’s bride, had his dark ambition not led to her death. In the 2018 film Ophelia, starring Ridley in the eponymous role, there’s a new spin on the classic tale as it is told from the doomed noblewoman’s perspective. In this unique take on Hamlet, Ridley beautifully portrays yet another multifaceted character who struggles between her natural free-spirited nature and her promise of nobility. She looks incredible in the well-researched and carefully crafted period garb, evolving through richly decorated sets.

A Tarnished Legacy

Ophelia is a lavish and fascinating look at one of the greatest plays ever written, yet now the film’s legacy is forever tainted due to the film’s production company, Bunker 15, attempting to increase the film’s critical reaction on Rotten Tomatoes by asking critics to change their reviews and other critics stated that the company paid them at least $50 for positive reviews. The film has since been removed from the filmography listings of people involved on Rotten Tomatoes. Despite the controversy around the film, Ridley does give a solid performance and it is a shame to have her name and a movie she was in caught up in such a public controversy. Ophelia is currently available to stream on AMC+, Tubi, and Kanopy.

7 Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker (2019)

The chances that any cinephile will fondly look back on Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker are pretty slim. Closing the Skywalker saga, this installment is set one year after the last (The Last Jedi), and follows new protagonists Rey (Daisy Ridley), Finn (John Boyega), and Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) as they fight off the original Sith Lord from the shadows Emperor Palpatine, as well as his new, wavering right arm, Kylo Ren (Adam Driver). Rey also must undergo a major revelation, find out that her origins are not what she thought, and will change her perception of herself and her place in the galactic conflict.

Ridley Carries a Flawed Film

This conclusion to the third Star Wars trilogy is too massive and unwieldy for its own good. Scenes often begin and end with characters running somewhere while delivering exposition with zero regard for how the audience feels about it. The plot (and several subplots) just keeps barreling forward until the loud, flashy ending that only kind of makes sense. That being said, the closing chapter of the Star Wars sequel trilogy features some of the most striking imagery the entire franchise has to offer and Ridley does do her best with one of the weakest scripts in the franchise. It speaks to how great Ridley is as Rey is that audiences were so invested in her characterization that the controversial reveal of her being a Palpatine generated so much controversy. Yet the film’s final moment, with her own yellow lightsaber and adopting the name surname Skywalker, has fans excited for her future in her own Star Wars film. Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker is currently available to stream on Disney+.

Related: These Actresses Were Almost Cast as Rey Instead of Daisy Ridley

6 Murder on the Orient Express (2017)

Just a few years after David Suchet’s legendary run playing Agatha Christie’s most popular creation, Hercule Poirot, actor and director Kenneth Branagh tried his hand at the Belgian detective’s best-known case: Murder on the Orient Express. Branagh’s takes a cue from the classic 1974 film starring Albert Finney by populating the screen with recognizable names like Tom Bateman, Penélope Cruz, Willem Dafoe, Michelle Pfeiffer, Johnny Depp, Dame Judi Dench, and of course Daisy Ridley, while also deviating in terms of tone and characterization. This modern iteration still follows the general plot of the original novel: a huis clos where Poirot must figure out the identity of the murderer before the train stops.

Ridley Shows Her Range Outside of Star Wars

There is an overall sweeping scope that befits Branagh’s adaptation, making the story both grand and intimate. Ridley’s character, Ms. Debenham, a secretary and governess, mitigates the plot with her low-ranking, down-to-earth character among the noble people present around the time of the murder. Ridley offers another two-toned character, adding to her versatile portfolio. While she was fresh off her success in Star Wars at the time, she easily blended in with the A-list cast she acted alongside. Note: this is where Daisy Ridley met Tom Bateman, her husband. Murder on the Orient Express is currently available to stream on DirecTV.

5 The Inventor (2023)

Read Our ReviewThe Inventor is a French studio’s take at presenting the life of the great Italian inventor, Leonardo da Vinci. Full of whimsical flying machines with poetic explanations, the stop-motion movie is meant to show his contribution to modern life in a simplified manner that aims to please both younger and older audiences alike. In it, Ridley plays the often-forgotten French princess Marguerite de Navarre, who greatly participated in the master’s gaining respect. She stars alongside other famous actors who play unknown people who participated in da Vinci’s rise to fame. The film is an unofficial continuation of the 2009 short by the same director, Jim Capobianco, Leonardo.

A Delightfully Small Film

If The Inventor was criticized for its oversimplified animated style, it was however praised for accurately portraying the life of Da Vinci and the many people who allowed him to thrive while he was alive — especially as an inventor beyond what he is mostly known for today: a painter. If The Inventor was unfortunately neither a critical or financial success, this did not take anything away from Ridley’s presence as her character, as she graced audiences with her rarely-heard singing voice, present in several major songs in the film. She stars alongside established film actors Matt Berry, Marion Cotillard, and more, further establishing herself as a voice actress. The Inventor is currently available to stream on Hoopla.

4 Sometimes I Think About Dying (2024)

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Sometimes I think About Dying is Ridley’s most recent film and an acclaimed one. In this romantic dramedy, she plays Fran, a woman with social anxiety who mostly daydreams about her own death, and whose routine is threatened to be broken by colleague Robert (Dave Merheje). The movie had a long road to the big screen, as it was shot in 2021, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2023, and recently hit theaters in 2024.

Ridley’s Latest Film

Sometimes I Think about Dying potentially relates directly to Ridley’s claim to fame. When interviewed at the 2023 Sundance Festival, she said: “Like, sometimes I feel like a piece of fucking shit. And sometimes I feel, like, great… What was interesting with Fran was sometimes she’s sort of obnoxious. Sometimes, she’s like, ‘I don’t want to play your games. I don’t want to talk about food. I’m good, I’m apart from this.’ And other times, she’s like, ‘How do I become part of this?” which confirms Ridley’s willingness to still continue to appear in both blockbusters and independent projects, a choice that few stars make after piercing through. Sometimes I Think About Dying is currently playing in theaters

3 Only Yesterday (2016)

Studio Ghibli is probably best known to American audiences for the gorgeous and imaginative films of animator Hayao Miyazaki like Spirited Away and Howl’s Moving Castle. However, the studio is also capable of producing works by other filmmakers that are firmly grounded in reality, while still being transportive works of art. Only Yesterday by director Isao Takahata is one of those films. It is a slice-of-life atyle of anime, following a woman who reflects on her childhood while traveling to the countryside.

What Makes It Great

Initially released in 1991, Only Yesterday didn’t see distribution in North America until 2016. Ridley provided the English dub for the main character, Taeko, as an adult. It was her first job right after Star Wars: The Force Awakens (most likely recorded while The Force Awakens was still in post-production), and her first major voice-acting role. Ridley perfectly captures Takeo, a traditionally quiet Japanese woman who only allows herself honesty when she is deep in thought. Melancholic and achingly honest, this is an under-seen masterpiece that needs more attention. Only Yesterday is currently available to stream on Max.

Related: Best Studio Ghibli Movies, Ranked

2 Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi (2017)

Perhaps the most divisive installment in the franchise, Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi tries to do what no other film in the series dared: take the franchise in a new creative direction. While The Force Awakens was content to make audiences safe and secure by reminding them of all the reasons they love Star Wars to begin with, The Last Jedi challenged that security by questioning the nature of the force and the Jedi’s greater role in the galaxy. Ridley reprises her starring role as Rey, as she attempts to persuade the retired Luke Skywalker to lead the Resistance against the rising danger represented by Kylo Ren.

Ridley Truly Stands Out

The Last Jedi is probably the most interesting Star Wars film since The Empire Strikes Back. The sets are exceptionally stunning, especially the fight which takes place on a red salt-covered planet. Ridley, as Rey, reinforces her role as a leader, slowly making her mark as one of the best heroes from the Star Wars saga. While people had labeled the character unfairly Mary Sue, The Last Jedi dug into Rey more as a character by showing her insecurities and flaws. The revelation of her being a nobody was a powerful statement for the entire franchise, one that said anyone could be the hero of a Star Wars story that many were sad to see walked back in The Rise of Skywalker. But as a film, The Last Jedi truly does stand on its own. Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi is currently available to stream on Disney+.

1 Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens (2015)

Audiences across the world assumed that the Star Wars saga came to an end in 2005 with the release of Revenge of the Sith. However, when Disney bought Lucasfilm, there was the promise of more movies, and ten years after the prequels came to a close, audiences were taken back to a galaxy far, far away in Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens. Thirty years after Return of the Jedi, new characters Rey, Finn, and Poe Dameron follow Han Solo in his search for Luke Skywalker as they attempt to organize and lead the Resistance, led by Leia and members of the former Rebel Alliance, against the First Order, the new version of the Galactic Empire, led by the menacing Kylo Ren.

A Star Is Born

Longtime fans were able to feed their nostalgia craving with the film’s aesthetics and the use of legacy characters like Han Solo and Leia Organa, but the plot was a little too reminiscent of the original Star Wars for it to truly stand out on its own. What does stand out, however, are the new characters and, in particular, Rey, thanks to Ridley’s performance. This was her introduction to the world, and she made an excellent first impression. It is incredible that Ridley managed to land such a huge first major role, as she had previously only appeared in small productions, starting her career just two years before this film was released (excluding theater productions). Nonetheless, she quickly made her way through the hearts of Star Wars fans around the globe. Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens is currently available to stream on Disney+.

Watch out interview with Daisy Ridley and director Rachael Lambert on their latest film, Sometimes I Think About Dying.