Daisy Ridley Calms Us With STAR WARS Read-along

We’re all going a little stir crazy in quarantine right now, which is why we love when the celebs give us something to talk about. Whether they’re cooking for usOpens in a new tab or singing for usOpens in a new tab or just plain showing up to remind us that we’re in this COVID-19 pandemicOpens in a new tab together, it helps to see the people we look up to dealing with this difficult time the same as the rest of us.

If you’re a Star Wars fan, the universe gave us an extra treat today. Daisy RidleyOpens in a new tab, who plays Rey in the sequel trilogy, took to the official Star Wars Twitter accountOpens in a new tab to read us a children’s story: BB-8 on the Run, written by Drew Daywalt and illustrated by Matt Myers.

The delightful children’s story follows our favorite little ball droidOpens in a new tab as he rolls through the unfamiliar desert planet of Jakku after separating from his master, Poe Dameron. The story takes place during the events of the first film in the Star Wars sequel trilogy, The Force AwakensOpens in a new tab. Although the events depicted in the story don’t occur onscreen, it’s fun to fill in the blanks and imagine BB-8 in this specific scenario.

Rey spies on the First ORder in this clip from Star Wars: Galaxy of Adventures.

Lucasfilm / via GiphyOpens in a new tab

Ridley is a natural. She reads the book not in her native London accent but in Rey’s more general British dialect. She gets animated when appropriate, shows the listener the beautiful artwork by Myers, and reads with clarity and heart. It’s a lovely little reprieve from all of the chaos going on in the world right now, and a perfect reminder why Rey is such a gift of a characterOpens in a new tab—and why we’re so lucky that Ridley got to play her.

She also left this heartfelt message:

“Thank you to everyone staying at home and thank you to everyone out on the front lines helping those in need. Please accept my tiny offering of gratitude in the form of storytelling.”

Bonus: It’s Daisy Ridley’sOpens in a new tab 28th birthday today! We’re so glad the actress took some time out of her happy day to do this for us. May the Force be with her on her birthday, and will all us as we navigate these tumultuous times together.

Featured Image: Lucasfilm