While the critics haven’t been too kind to The Rise of Skywalker, audience response has been largely positive. So how did the cast of the film react to the trilogy-ender? Here’s how the stars of Skywalker felt about the final product. Speaking to Entertainment Tonight, Daisy Ridley shared that it’s unpleasant to read unfavorable reviews, but a comment in one review stuck with her: The Rise of Skywalker is a movie for the fans. She told the magazine, «The reason we collectively have made nine [Star Wars films] is because people have loved this for 42 years. That has to have been the driving force. A lot of people are hopefully going to see it and a lot of people are hopefully going to love it.» Ridley watched The Rise of Skywalker for the first time with the rest of the cast early in December, and admitted that she was so overwhelmed she held her sister’s hand throughout the entire thing. At one point, Ridley wanted to leave the theater to compose herself, preferring not to start crying in front of people. She also shared that her other seat-mate was pumped throughout the entire screening. Who might that have been? None other than John Boyega, the actor behind ex-stormtrooper-turned-Resistance-fighter Finn. According to Ridley, Boyega did plenty of whooping and cheering, with even a little sideline commentary, for the duration of the film. Oscar Isaac said that the first time he watched the full theatrical cut of The Rise of Skywalker, he, quote, «snot-cried,» and was hoping to shed only «manly tears» during the premiere. Isaac was also left with a lump in his throat over the realization that with The Rise of Skywalker, the Star Wars sequel trilogy is complete, and that he’d be saying goodbye to actors he’s spent so many years working with.
