Daisy Ridley Opens Up About Her Health Journey

The Star Wars actress discusses her Graves’ disease diagnosis and the lifestyle changes that have improved her well-being

In a recent interview, Daisy Ridley revealed she was diagnosed with Graves’ disease last year. The Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker star initially attributed her symptoms to the stress of her role in the psychological thriller, Magpie.

“I thought, ‘Well, I’ve just played a really stressful role; presumably that’s why I feel poorly,’” Ridley shared with Women’s Health. Directed by Sam Yates, Magpie features Ridley alongside Shazad Latif and Matilda Lutz.

Ridley experienced a racing heart rate, weight loss, and fatigue. Her doctor described Graves’ disease as feeling “tired but weird.”

“It was funny, I was like, ‘Oh, I just thought I was annoyed at the world,’ but it turns out everything is functioning so quickly, you can’t chill out,” she explained.

Following her diagnosis, Ridley made dietary changes, including going gluten-free. “I am not super strict about it, but generally cutting down on gluten makes me feel better,” she said.

“I’ve always been health conscious, and now I’m trying to be more well-being conscious,” Ridley added, emphasizing the importance of listening to one’s body. She highlighted the common issue of women being undiagnosed or under-diagnosed and stressed the need to acknowledge when one doesn’t feel well.

Notable celebrities like Wendy Williams and Missy Elliott have also been diagnosed with Graves’ disease.