Star Wars' Daisy Ridley devastated by photo leak

This photo provided by Disney/Lucasfilm shows Daisy Ridley, right, as Rey, and BB-8, in a scene from the film, "Star Wars: The Force Awakens," directed by J.J. Abrams. Lawrence Kasdan co-wro

Star Wars actress Daisy Ridley feared she would be "vilified" as a party girl following the publication of controversial pictures of her drinking and smoking at a private bash.

The 23-year-old British actress shot to fame last year when she was named in the cast of the new sci-fi blockbuster, Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens, but was devastated when a series of old photographs began circling online.

The snaps, which were initially published on social media, show Ridley smoking and holding a shot glass at a party with friends, and covered in red body paint and lipstick. In one of the pictures, she is seen pretending to kiss a female pal, and another shows her with the phrase "I have been spellbound... by the Devil" painted on her body.

Ridley has now opened up about the embarrassing leak, revealing the snaps were taken when she was a teenager and she hopes fans do not judge her on her youthful indiscretions.

"That was not nice. That was really not nice," she told Britain's Style magazine.

"When I signed up for the film, I didn't sign up for people taking pictures of me when I don't want them to and searching through my history to find things that make me look like an awful person. I was a teenager and now I'm a 20-something. I will go out and have a drink and a dance, and I shouldn't be vilified for doing those things."

Daisy recently revealed how she found out she had landed the life-changing role in the Star Wars sequel, explaining that director J.J. Abrams called her on the phone while she was supposed to be watching a play in London's West End.

"I remember I could hear the play going on inside," she told Britain's Daily Mail newspaper.

"Obviously, something monumental had happened in my life, but no one else knew. It was weird. I saw the rest of the play and then went home on the Tube."

The new film, which premieres this evening (NZ Time) in LA, reunites original cast members Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher and Mark Hamill.

- WENN