Daisy Ridley reacts to husband Tom Bateman’s casting in 'Love Hypothesis' fanfiction based on her Star Wars role

Daisy Ridley has shared her surprise and amusement over her husband Tom Bateman’s recent casting in The Love Hypothesis, a film adaptation based on a novel that originally started as Star Wars fan fiction. The twist? The original story was inspired by Ridley’s own Star Wars character, Rey, and Adam Driver’s Kylo Ren.

Ridley reacted with a playful Instagram Story a screenshot of an article about Bateman’s casting. Fans were quick to call it a “full circle moment,” noting the irony of Bateman now playing a character inspired by Ridley’s on-screen romance with Driver. One fan wrote on X (formerly Twitter): “Tom Bateman playing a Kylo Ren-coded character written in a Reylo fanfic is something out of a multiverse.”

Interestingly, the film's origin adds another layer of irony. The novel The Love Hypothesis was initially written as a Reylo fanfic on Archive of Our Own before author Ali Hazelwood reworked it into an original romance novel, changing the names but keeping the characters' essence. Now, with a major film adaptation in the works, the story is coming full circle in Hollywood.

Fans online have been celebrating the moment. “The Reylo cinematic universe is stronger than ever,” joked one Reddit user, while another added, “Imagine explaining this to someone who’s never been on Tumblr.” Some joked that having Bateman in the role is nearly as meta as if Adam Driver himself had taken the part.

Ridley and Bateman, who met while filming Murder on the Orient Express in 2017, quietly tied the knot in 2023. This unexpected connection between their careers has now sparked excitement and nostalgia among Star Wars and romance fans alike.