Summary

• Kathleen Kennedy stands by representing all people in storytelling, believing this is important in Star Wars.
• A battle for ownership is still taking place in the fandom, partially explaining the backlash against The Acolyte.
• Despite controversies and backlash, Lucasfilm and creator Leslye Headland push for bold and diverse storytelling in the Star Wars TV show.

Lucasfilm CEO Kathleen Kennedy has stepped out in of Kennedy was even the villain of a South Park special. The next Star Wars TV show, The Acolyte, has already proved controversial, in large part because its creator, Leslye Headland, is a gay woman and the show will feature lesbian characters.

The Acolyte releases on June 4, and both Kennedy and Headland address the issue when speaking to the New York Times. "My belief is that storytelling does need to be representative of all people," Kennedy insists. "That’s an easy decision for me." She notes the problems are greater now because of social media and the sheer scale of franchises, and that women who step into Star Wars face this the most. "Because of the fan base being so male dominated, they sometimes get attacked in ways that can be quite personal."

As a lifelong Star Wars fan, Headland notes that she understands the frustration fans can feel - and has felt it herself. "I stand by my empathy for Star Wars fans," she told the New York Times in a text message. "But I want to be clear. Anyone who engages in bigotry, racism or hate speech… I don’t consider a fan." In truth, it's sad that such a comment even needs to be made.

The Star Wars Fandom Still Struggles With A Sense Of Ownership

There's a sense in which Star Wars has always been plagued by a single question: who owns Star Wars? For George Lucas, the answer was always simple; he did. That's why he felt comfortable making the Star Wars Special Editions, and didn't much mind if he contradicted the old Expanded Universe in his prequels. He viewed himself as an artist and the movies as his art, and he insisted fans accept changes when he made them. This led to some of the earliest conflicts in the fandom.

Lucas sold Lucasfiilm to Disney in 2012, and since then another battle of ownership has been raging; a portion of the fanbase complains against so-called "woke" storytelling decisions, attempting to preserve their own version of Star Wars - one that principally stars white males. In truth, Star Wars has never been so limited; Leslye Headland is herself proof of that, a lifelong fan. But the Disney-era "push" to improve diversity, to allow other viewers to see themselves in the Star Wars galaxy, has led to a backlash from those who don't want Star Wars to change shape.

Industry insiders insist Kathleen Kennedy is no "woke warrior," South Park portrayal aside. Rather, she is a businesswoman, who understands that it's best for all potential viewers to be able to resonate with the Star Wars galaxy. That fits with the fact that diversity in Star Wars has been stumbling rather than bold, with Lucasfilm even cutting a background lesbian kiss from Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker in some territories. The Acolyte sounds to be a lot bolder, which explains why it's become a focus for such a backlash. Lucasfilm, however, clearly stand by this decision.

Source: New York Times