Star Wars star Daisy Ridley not only had to train as a swimmer for her new role, but she also had to wear some sturdy vintage costumes.
“When you actually swim in it, it feels like you’re wearing a weighted vest – I’m not kidding, it weighs like 10 kilos,” Ridley told Fox News Digital.
In “The Young Lady,” Ridley plays Gertrude “Trudy” Ederle, a real-life Olympic swimmer who became the first woman to swim across the English Channel in 1926.
At the start of the film, Ridley and co-star Tilda Cobham-Hervey, who plays Trudy’s sister Meg, are dressed in late Victorian and early Edwardian swimwear to suit their characters, which includes full-body, sturdy clothing and “full tights, shoes.”
Daisy Ridley said that the costumes she wore during the early stages of filming of Young Woman and the Sea were “like wearing a weight vest.” (Kate Green/Getty Images, courtesy of Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures UK)
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“When I saw Meg and Trudy swimming on screen for the first time, when they were trying to get on the girls’ team, it was just so exhausting to dog paddle in those costumes. It felt like someone was pulling me. It really was a treadmill. I was like, ‘Why am I not moving?'” Ridley said.
Cobham Harvey added that the outfits “look beautiful but are not practical. Dry? Beautiful. Wet? Very difficult.”
Tilda Cobham-Hervey, left, and Daisy Ridley, right, had to swim in costumes resembling 1910 swimsuits. (Getty Images)
“I’m glad it was over quickly,” Ridley said.
The 32-year-old trained under Olympic silver medallist Siobhan O’Connor for three months to prepare for the role.
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“On my first session with her, I was out of breath after about 25 meters,” Ridley said in a press release for the film, “so I knew I had a lot of work to do. I trained for three months before we started filming and continued to train throughout the shoot. My swimming skills improved dramatically. On the final shot, I swam probably 150 meters in the ocean, fighting the current and trying to keep up with the camera boat.”
Behind the scenes photo of Daisy Ridley swimming in Little Women. (© 2024 Disney Enterprises Inc.)
In addition to her on-screen physical training, Ridley also had another role behind the scenes as the film’s executive producer.
“I was treated like a partner,” she said of the job. “I came on board as an actor at first, but then when filming actually started, I had some script notes and I had some ideas, and one of those ideas was that I wanted the sisterhood to be at the heart of the movie. And to be honest, [I] From then on, I was just treated as a partner. I knew who was going to be there, and my opinion was always valid and heard.”
She continued, “Honestly, I was so happy to be given this title because it was such a collaborative effort… I’m so proud to have my name on it as an EP.”
Daisy Ridley not only starred in Little Women, but also served as executive producer. (Elena Nenkova. © 2024 Disney Enterprises Inc.)
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Ridley also spoke about the Star Wars sequel, Star Wars: The New Jedi Order, which will focus on her character Rey.
“When I spoke to Cathy [producer Kathleen Kennedy]Again, I’ve always been an active participant, always felt listened to, always felt very supportive, but certainly involved early on, so I’m very excited and waiting for things to officially happen.”
VIDEO: Star Wars star Daisy Ridley is ‘very exhausted’ by vintage ‘Little Women’ costumes
Little Women executive producer Jerry Bruckheimer praised Ridley’s work both in front of and behind the camera.
“She’s a great actress, and it’s great to have her behind the scenes because she understands what we’re all going through. She’s a great force in making things happen. Working with smart people makes a good impression.”
Little Women director Joachim Ronning, Daisy Ridley and Jerry Bruckheimer (right) attend a screening of the film. (Monica Schipper/BAFTA via Getty Images)
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He also said that “The Sea” is “the most challenging film I’ve ever made. I’ve made some really big films,” adding, “It’s a film for everyone, a film for the whole family.”
Ederle’s true story is an inspiring one: Born in New York City in 1905 to German immigrant parents, she overcame a life-threatening bout with measles as a child to become a competitive swimmer and win a gold medal on the U.S. Olympic team in Paris in 1924.
Ederle ultimately set her sights on swimming across the English Channel, a feat previously only achieved by men. She faced discrimination, doubt, and numerous physical obstacles, but she completed the swim in record time, beating the records of the five men who had completed the feat before her.
The real-life Trudy Ederle in 1925, played by Daisy Ridley in the film Little Women. (Getty Images/© 2024 Disney Enterprises Inc.)
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Ridley said of the film, “I want people to come into theaters, give each other a little hug, feel connected to the people around them, and feel that anyone can work towards achieving their dreams, even if it may not seem possible right now. I want people to work towards their dreams and find the people who can help them get to where they want to go.”
“The Sea” is currently showing in theaters.
