Daisy Ridley Talks Grief & Zombies in New Horror We Bury The Dead [Exclusive]

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George Romero’s films – Night of the Living Dead, Dawn of the Dead, and Day of the Dead – are what truly launched the modern zombie craze. Since then, movies and shows like World War Z, Resident Evil, The Walking Dead, The Last of Us, and 28 Days Later have kept that fascination alive. Now, We Bury the Dead, released January 2nd, hopes to add to the undead legacy with a fresh take on the zombie story.

Okay, so I just saw We Bury the Dead, and it’s a pretty intense ride. The film drops you right into post-apocalyptic Tasmania after a massive explosion wipes out everyone. Daisy Ridley plays Ava, a woman clinging to hope that her husband might have somehow survived. She signs on with a team going into the quarantine zone to collect bodies, hoping to find him. But, surprise, it’s not just corpses they’re dealing with. The zombies – and let me tell you, they’re not the slow, harmless kind the military claims – are evolving, becoming faster and much more aggressive. They’re genuinely creepy – chattering teeth, disturbing looks, the whole nine yards. But Ridley actually points out that it wasn’t just the scares that grabbed her; there’s something else going on with these creatures that’s surprisingly compelling.

Ridley explained to ComicBook that what really struck him about the film was the quality of the actors playing the zombies. Each one brought a unique interpretation to the role. He was particularly moved by a scene filmed on the last day, featuring a father and his family. Despite being a zombie, the actor conveyed a powerful sense of love and the need to stay with his family, which Ridley found incredibly touching and memorable, even among all the other zombie portrayals in the film.

Ava and Mitch weren’t a perfect couple, and their marriage was at a turning point. Ava was overwhelmed with sadness at the thought of losing Mitch and the life they’d built together.

According to Ridley, the character reveals herself as someone who made poor choices throughout her marriage. She also comes to understand how she’s reacting to the emotional pain of struggling to conceive with her husband. Her reactions, Ridley notes, are deeply hurtful. While playing the role, Ridley felt the character was driven by a need for explanation, closure, and the ability to say goodbye, and then forced to confront the disappointment of not getting the answers she hoped for.

She also admits it feels a bit self-centered. Then, Ava talks to someone from the military who points out that everyone experiences loss. In that moment, Ava feels her grief is overwhelming, but she realizes it’s not unique – others feel the same pain. This leads her to wonder how we say goodbye to loved ones and how each of us navigates the grieving process in our own way.

I’m so excited to see Daisy Ridley back in the Star Wars universe! She’s been doing some great indie films like We Bury the Dead and The Last Resort, but nothing beats seeing her as Rey. For those who may not know, she first played Rey in The Force Awakens – a total underdog, just a scavenger in the desert, who gets pulled into this huge fight between the good guys and the bad guys, and discovers she’s meant for something amazing. It’s been six years since The Rise of Skywalker, and Daisy says returning to that world and becoming Rey again for this new film is going to be really interesting. I can’t wait!

Ridley says, “I’m six years older now, and in a different place in my life. I believe the story will be fantastic, and the wait will be worth it. I think revisiting Rey’s character will be a journey of discovery, just like with any role.”

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2026-01-04 21:41