Inside Daisy Ridley's Experience With Endometriosis

Actress Daisy Ridley went from small TV roles to being a star in the "Star Wars" franchise seemingly overnight (via ELLE Australia). The sudden spotlight was challenging for the Australian actress, and the stress of her fame was exacerbating a painful condition: endometriosis.

Endometriosis is a disorder that causes tissue similar to the uterine lining (the endometrium) to grow outside of the uterus (via Mayo Clinic). It usually affects the ovaries, fallopian tubes, and tissue lining the pelvis, although the tissue can also be found outside of the pelvic cavity. Symptoms include painful periods, pain during intercourse, pain with bowel movements or urination, excessive bleeding, and infertility. Symptoms aren't always dependent on the severity of the endometriosis, as you can have severe disease with little pain and mild disease with intense pain. It usually develops several years after the start of menstruation and can improve with pregnancy and menopause. You're at greater risk for endometriosis if you've never given birth, started your period at an early age, have short menstrual cycles, and have one or more relatives with endometriosis.

Daisy Ridley, who plays Rey in the "Star Wars" franchise films, opened up to ELLE Australia about her diagnosis of endometriosis at the age of 15 (via ELLE Australia). When she found herself starring in "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" in 2015, one of the biggest-grossing film franchises of all time, the stress of her newfound fame made her symptoms flare up. She was experiencing gastrointestinal issues and her skin was breaking out. It got so severe that she had to move in with her sister before she could rent her own place.

Ridley credits her eventual ability to adjust to her "Star Wars" fame with some words of wisdom from her late "Star Wars" co-star Carrie Fisher, who said, "not to shrink away from the success, but to enjoy it." Once she got her endometriosis under control, Ridley continued starring in films and has worked as a voice actor as well (via IMDB). While it can be difficult to diagnose, endometriosis can be successfully treated with pain medication, hormone therapy, surgery, and fertility treatment (via Mayo Clinic).