Prior to landing the role of Rey in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Daisy Ridley was largely unknown to cinema fans. Naturally, the film’s release dramatically changed that, and Ridley is beginning to emerge as a star outside of the famous space opera franchise. Now that The Last Jedi has wrapped, Ridley has moved on to the title role of Ophelia, which offers a modern take on the classic character from William Shakespeare’s Hamlet.
The Hollywood Reporter has debuted the first image of Ridley as Ophelia from director Claire McCarthy’s adaptation Lisa Klein’s novel of the same name. Klein’s story offers a retelling of Ophelia’s doomed romance with Hamlet during the 14th century. But this time, the focus is on Ophelia herself, rather than the prince of Denmark.
Exclusive first look: Daisy Ridley is Hamlet’s forbidden lover in ‘Ophelia’ https://t.co/NsOr8gv051 #Cannes pic.twitter.com/TUGXVdXVUt
— Hollywood Reporter (@THR) May 21, 2017
According to THR, Ophelia will maintain “a contemporary voice” rather than stylized dialogue in the vein of Shakespeare. Within the film, Ridley’s character is the lady-in-waiting for Queen Gertrude (Naomi Watts) before she unexpectedly enters into a forbidden romance with the queen’s son, Hamlet (George MacKay). Clive Owen will portray Ophelia’s father, Claudius, with Devon Terrell as Hamlet’s friend, Horatio, and Tom Felton as Ophelia’s brother, Laertes.
Ophelia is currently in production, and it is expected to be released in 2018. But fans of Ridley will be able to catch her in the remake of  Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express later this year.
What do you think about the first glimpse of Ridley as Ophelia? Respond in the form of a sonnet in our comment section below!
Images: Omaze/Covert Media/THR
