Now put Ridley back in that part where she belongs, because she is perfect. Bold, quick-thinking, a little cheeky, and not so interested in romance? All checks. Could male Rey still be an orphan and a scavenger? Check. Jordan, and consider how the role might change. Replace her in your imagination with the male actor of your choice, be it a Gosling or a Reynolds or a B. Just imagine if Daisy Ridley hadn't been cast as Rey in The Force Awakens. In fact, it's The Force Awakens' complete disregard of gender roles in Rey's case that heightens her impact. But the triumph of Rey has nothing to do with gender. Rey is noteworthy as a female character who catalyzes action instead of existing to serve a male-dominated narrative, and the future of equal representation in film demands that the industry finally comprehends that movies led by women can and do make money. Without question, the fact that Rey is female is important she's possibly 2015's most visible exception to film's male-dominated lead character field (in 2014, women made up only 7 percent of directors on the top 250 films, according to the Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film). Rey and her ilk are still the exception to the rule in popular film, and it's absolutely worth discussing what makes this heroine so inspiring - which, despite what many might think, is not simply her gender. While I hope the day will come when the existence of a character like Rey in a record-breaking blockbuster will be so commonplace that it won't be greeted by such strong reactions, the response is understandable. In the wake of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, there've been countless articles, blog posts, and discussions about Rey, played by Daisy Ridley.
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