Overview
- Cooke confirmed on the Happy Sad Confused podcast that she auditioned for Rey in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, a detail reported by multiple outlets on June 23.
- She said she auditioned in Los Angeles and later met with director J. J. Abrams, and candidly described her performance as very poor.
- Cooke denied later reports that she tested for the role of Rose in The Last Jedi and called that story a mistaken rumor.
- She praised Daisy Ridley’s work, acknowledged Ridley was the right fit for Rey, and framed the outcome as a turning point that led Cooke toward projects like Me and Earl and the Dying Girl and House of the Dragon.
- The anecdote highlights how Disney and Lucasfilm’s wide 2015 casting search put many actresses in contention and how single casting choices can change career paths for both winners and near-misses.