Daisy Ridley has revealed that she’s been diagnosed with Graves’ disease, an autoimmune disorder that affects the thyroid.
The actress gave the health update in a profile with Women’s Health, also revealing that she’s been sitting with the diagnosis for a few months now. She was first informed of her condition back in September of 2023. According to the actress, she was referred to an endocrinologist after she started having bouts of hot flashes and fatigue.
Ridley has long been open about her health struggles, having been diagnosed with endometriosis as a teenager, and then with polycystic ovaries in her 20s. The “Star Wars” star noted to Women’s Health that she doesn’t know whether her diagnoses are all interconnected.
Graves’ disease is a condition in which the body makes too much thyroid hormone, also known as hyperthyroidism. According to the Mayo Clinic, the condition is “more common in women and in people older than 30” — Ridley is currently 32 years old.
According to the actress, she first started feeling her symptoms while filming “Magpie,” a Sam Yates film that came out in March of this year. But she initially ignored how she was feeling, thinking it was a result of playing an emotionally taxing character.
“I thought, ‘Well, I’ve just played a really stressful role; presumably that’s why I feel poorly,’” she told Women’s Health.
Per the Mayo Clinic, typical Graves’ disease symptoms include “feeling nervous and irritable,” “having a slight tremor of the hands or fingers,” heart palpitations, weight loss, and fatigue, among several others, all of which Ridley experienced firsthand.
“It was funny, I was like, ‘Oh, I just thought I was annoyed at the world,’ but turns out everything is functioning so quickly, you can’t chill out,” she said.
Ridley noted that the diagnosis has presented its challenges, but she is working diligently to continue taking care of her body. This includes a “more routine pattern of daily medication and a more mindful diet,” plus regular “reactive and functional” training sessions.
She will continue working, and noted that her jedi training for her upcoming “Star Wars” return relied primarily on arm workouts.
“It’s just finding the balance, and me understanding now where my tolerance really ends,” she said.
