Who are Rey’s parents? Surprise Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker cameo revealed
A couple of very familiar actors portray Daisy Ridley’s family in Episode IX
The parentage of Star Wars character Rey (Daisy Ridley) has been the central mystery of the modern space opera trilogy, kicking off in 2015’s The Force Awakens before being apparently quashed in 2017’s The Last Jedi.
The whole time, the refrain has gone up: “Who are Rey’s parents?” And now, thanks to the newly-released Rise of Skywalker we can reveal the answer – sort of.
With respect to spoilers, we won’t uncover exactly how they factor into the story, but we can say which actors are playing them – and if you don’t want to know even that (or haven’t had a chance to see the film), better look away now.
In the new film, viewers get to see Rey’s parents onscreen, and the actor playing her mother is instantly familiar – Killing Eve and Doctor Foster star Jodie Comer, making her Star Wars debut as this unnamed but crucial character.
“My love…Rey, be brave,” she says in her short appearance.
Previously, Comer had been rumoured to have a role in Episode IX but the part was unconfirmed, and fans are already rejoicing to see her a part of a galaxy far, far away.
And of course, she’s joined by Rey’s father – also unnamed – portrayed onscreen by Billy Howle, another Brit (appropriately given Ridley’s accent) who audiences may recognise from TV shows like Glue and MotherFatherSon, and films like Dunkirk, On Chesil Beach and Outlaw King.
So, now you know who Rey's parents are, you might be wondering WHO they are – and yes, we'll definitely be talking about that at some point.
But for now we'll try to keep this film as much a surprise for fans as we can. Just know this: they're not dastardly assassins with talents for regional accents. More's the pity.
Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker is in UK cinemas now
Authors
Huw Fullerton is a Commissioning Editor for Radio Times magazine, covering Entertainment, Comedy and Specialist Drama.
