Olivia Cooke, known for playing Alicent Hightower in HBO's House of the Dragon, has revealed that she auditioned multiple times for the role of Rey in J.J. Abrams' Star Wars: The Force Awakens, a part that ultimately launched Daisy Ridley's career. The actress addressed long-standing speculation about her connection to the Star Wars universe during an appearance on Josh Horowitz's Happy Sad Confused podcast.
Audition Details and Self-Criticism
Cooke clarified that earlier rumors suggesting she was considered for Rian Johnson's Star Wars: The Last Jedi were inaccurate. Instead, she said, "I did audition a few times for the other one, where Daisy Ridley got it. But everyone and their dog auditioned for that." She recalled attending an audition in Los Angeles and later reading with Abrams himself, but she was disappointed with her own performance. "I was really bad," Cooke said. "You know when you go into an audition, and you're just not bringing it and you've let yourself down, you've let everyone down in the room?"
Praise for Daisy Ridley
Despite her self-criticism, Cooke praised Ridley and said the role went to the right person. "Daisy did such an amazing job; I just wasn't that kind of an actor at that time. It just wasn't a fit," she explained. Ridley debuted as Rey in Star Wars: The Force Awakens in 2015 and continued portraying the character in Star Wars: The Last Jedi and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, becoming one of the defining figures of the modern Star Wars franchise.
Cooke's Career After the Missed Opportunity
Cooke's career flourished following the audition process. She appeared in acclaimed projects including Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, Steven Spielberg's Ready Player One, and the Oscar-nominated drama Sound of Metal. She later secured one of television's biggest roles as Alicent Hightower in HBO's House of the Dragon, a fantasy drama currently airing its third season, with a fourth and final season expected in 2028.
Although she missed out on becoming a Jedi, Cooke's candid comments showed she has no regrets and recognizes that some roles are simply meant for someone else.
