I think that’s something that helps that I’ve worked since I was 12 because I’ve had noes, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, and at some point, you realize, ‘Oh, well it’s not because I suck. “A no is a no and I’ve had a million noes in my career. What was the key to hearing “no" and being able to forge forward? So yes, Gustavsson is able to look back on the audition and appreciate what she took from it, but what about in the moment? Her first big audition and she didn’t book the role.
But also, it’s quite interesting when you approach it totally green and totally fresh, and you don’t really realize how big it is to get to do something like that and who the people on the other side of the self-tape are.” But it’s double, you know? In a way, I was like, wow, it’s incredible to get to read text of that quality and to work at that level, or to try to work at that level so soon. “I think I did a decent enough job, but I was not prepared to do something of that scale and I’m incredibly glad that I didn’t end up getting it now because I would have absolutely tanked it. Given Daisy Ridley is our Rey, clearly, Gustavsson didn’t get the part, but she’s actually grateful things panned out that way.
I had a modeling agent who was amazing at IMG Models, and she knew that I was kind of on the way out and I think she wanted to help me facilitate the bridge and, of course, the first audition she comes up with is Star Wars.”
“That was kind of in the death part of my modeling career. How exactly does one book an audition like that right out the gate? Gustavsson recalled how her modeling agent helped make it happen: