Summary
- John Boyega s Amandla Stenberg amid backlash following The Acolyte's cancelation.
- This behavior is sadly not new in the franchise.
- Bullying and harassment of Star Wars actors harms the franchise's future, highlighting the need for change in the fanbase.
Star Wars' movies and TV shows to receive this type of response, which is precisely why Boyega's is so significant.
A post by Amandla Stenberg on Instagram discussing her time on The Acolyte has become flooded with negative comments following the news that The Acolyte will not have a season 2. In addition to the many messages of on the post combating the negativity, John Boyega shared a meme of Harrison Ford as Han Solo saluting in the original trilogy.
Notably, the other actors of The Acolyte do not seem to be receiving the same treatment that Amandla Stenberg is; Manny Jacinto, Dafne Keen, and Rebecca Henderson all have recent Instagram posts that do not have a similar number or degree of negative comments compared to Stenberg's.
The Acolyte's Cancelation Leaves The Future Of Star Wars TV In Doubt
Sadly, Star Wars has officially canceled The Acolyte, and that raises serious questions about what the future of Star Wars' TV shows will look like.
The Acolyte's "Haters" Are Showing The Dark Side Of Star Wars Fandom
Sadly, The Acolyte is nowhere near the first of Star Wars' movies and shows to receive such animosity. This behavior began long ago, with the Star Wars prequel trilogy. As is well-known now, both Jar Jar Binks actor Ahmed Best and young Anakin Skywalker actor Jake Lloyd were bullied viciously by the media and viewers alike. In fact, it's worth mentioning that Best also 'liked' Amandla Stenberg's post on Instagram. Following that trilogy, the hatred ramped up with the sequel trilogy, much of it targeted at John Boyega and Daisy Ridley.
Other Star Wars newcomers, such as Moses Ingram, who played the Imperial Inquisitor Reva in Obi-Wan Kenobi, have also been subjected to this treatment. In Ingram's case, Ewan McGregor himself even took to social media to highlight how disturbing he found the racist messages being sent to Ingram.
Unfortunately, this is clearly becoming much more than a pattern in the franchise; it is becoming the norm.
Not only is this terrible for the actors and the creators of these movies and shows, it is also simply bad for the franchise. Tearing down any new piece of media and the people who have worked on it does nothing to serve the future of the franchise. Clearly, this type of bullying and harassment can lead to cancelations. Ultimately, it's unclear why that would be an objective of anyone who is truly a fan of the franchise. Presumably, anyone who loves Star Wars should want to see the franchise succeed, not fail.
Moreover, it's impossible to ignore who is often at the center of the backlash. It isn't coincidental that Best, Boyega, and Stenberg are finding common ground in their experience of the Star Wars fanbase. Hopefully, as Star Wars moves forward, changes will be made that protect the franchise's actors, although what that protection could look like remains to be seen. For now, though, it's nice to see previous Star Wars actors stepping up in defense of The Acolyte's Amandla Stenberg.
Source: amandlastenberg, baeduans
The Acolyte
- Release Date
- 2024 - 2024-00-00
- Showrunner
- Leslye Headland
- Directors
- Leslye Headland, Alex Garcia Lopez
Cast
Mae
Lee Jung-jaeMaster Sol
WHERE TO WATCH
The Acolyte is a television series set in the Star Wars universe at the end of the High Republic Era, where both the Jedi and the Galactic Empire were at the height of their influence. This sci-fi thriller sees a former Padawan reunite with her former Jedi Master as they investigate several crimes - all leading to darkness erupting from beneath the surface and preparing to bring about the end of the High Republic.
- Writers
- Leslye Headland, Charmaine De Grate, Kor Adana
- Franchise(s)
- Star Wars
- Seasons
- 1
- Streaming Service(s)
- Dis
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