As a passionate fan of Star Wars and a follower of the industry, I cannot help but feel deeply moved by the heartfelt words of the talented young actress, Jodie Turner-Smith, who played the lead role in The Acolyte. Her experiences working with Lucasfilm, under the guidance of the remarkable Leslye Headland, seemed nothing short of life-changing and inspiring.
Amandla Stenberg has recently shared her thoughts on the cancellation of ‘Star Wars’ series ‘The Acolyte’, as well as discussing openly about the hostility and harsh comments directed towards both the cast and crew from certain groups of fans. Stenberg portrayed characters Mae and Osha in the Disney+ show, which was terminated earlier this month when Lucasfilm and Disney decided not to proceed with a second season. Although many viewers were disappointed, the cancellation seemed to serve as an opportunity for some to express their discontent towards the show’s supporters and its creators online – something they might not have done face-to-face.
Specifically, Stenberg faced a significant amount of hostility and harsh words. Now, Stenberg has utilized social media to express candidly about the hostility that The Acolyte encountered from its initial unveiling up until its broadcast and subsequent cancellation. Below, you’ll find a transcript of what Stenberg had to say regarding the decision and the response to the series, with the actress stating, “it doesn’t come as a great surprise to me.”
“I decided to log in today, feeling quite candid about it. Frankly, I dislike using social media, but I’ve found joy in minimizing my time here. However, there are several people I want to recognize and express gratitude, affection, and encouragement towards. That’s why I’m posting this update: our Star Wars series has been terminated. To be honest, the news doesn’t come as a surprise to me.”
Absolutely, I reside within my personal universe, yet for those unaware, a wave of harsh criticism has engulfed us ever since the show was merely an idea. Back then, people hadn’t even caught a glimpse of it. This is when we began encountering what I would describe as intense conservative intolerance and verbal attacks, prejudice, hostility, and hate speech. This had a profound impact on me when I first got this job, because despite expecting such treatment, nothing truly prepares you for the raw emotions until you experience it yourself.
In his continued remarks, Stenberg expressed deep gratitude and excitement, describing it as a remarkable privilege and lifelong dream to be involved in the Star Wars universe. He also acknowledged and appreciated the loyal fans who supported both the franchise and himself during the challenges posed by the alt-right criticism.
“On that topic, I just have to say it has been an incredible honor and dream for me to be in this universe. Even though, of course, I’m very sad about the show being canceled and I’m sad about us not being able to give people who are invested into it more, because…. I still just feel a lot of levity and joy around the fact that it that I got to experience it, and that people loved it, and that people were so responsive. I poured through a lot of different iterations of fan art and ship art and fan theories and things that were just so beautiful and filled my heart with joy.
I’d like to express gratitude to those who stood by us amidst the harsh criticism and targeted attacks we faced, particularly from the alt-right. To them, I want to say you are deeply cherished and valued. This job has been truly meaningful for me because of your support, making it all worthwhile despite the difficult aspects. Added to this, my passion for sci-fi and fantasy, and the opportunity to contribute to something I admire so greatly and have looked up to for so long, makes every challenge worth facing.
Amandla Stenberg Celebrates Star Wars & Lucasfilm
Additionally, Stenberg paused to express gratitude for her time in Star Wars and acknowledge the exceptional talent at Lucasfilm, describing them as a delight to collaborate with. She particularly commended showrunner Leslye Headland, who unfortunately faced online hostility, but Stenberg spoke highly of her work.
I’d like to express my gratitude as well to Lucasfilm, an absolutely fantastic group of people. They were simply delightful to collaborate with. Among everyone I worked with at Lucasfilm, Rayne Roberts, my producer, stood out. She had such a clear vision, hope, and dedication towards expanding the
I must express my gratitude to Leslye Headland, who truly is exceptional. I have an immense affection for her, as she’s not only incredibly talented but also kind-hearted and unique. My admiration for her will last forever, and the experience with her will be cherished eternally. However, it’s not just Leslye that I want to thank; I’d like to extend my appreciation to everyone who watched it. Thank you for your love, support, excitement, enthusiasm, and overall awesomeness. This will take some time to fully process.
Ultimately, Stenberg emphasized the deep division characterizing our current era, viewing it as a reflection of widespread apprehension about change and hostility towards anything unfamiliar.
“Maybe the last thing I want to say on the subject is that we all exist in the context of all in which we live [laughs] But I’m serious. it’s not lost on me how the way that these events have unfolded is also due to the hyper divisiveness of the time that we live in. That is driven, I would say at this point, by echo chambers of thought and algorithms that reinforce our biases. And I think that applies to everybody, but I think that in a particular sect of people, it manifests as a lot of fear for what is changing, a lot of hatred for anything that is other. And I would challenge us all and challenge myself to continue questioning what it is that I digest and think critically about what shapes it. And let’s vote. Y’all, let’s vote. Let’s vote. I think that’s all I have to say.”
The hatred that Stenberg received from a certain section of the Star Wars fanbase is sadly nothing new for the beloved franchise. Many still have yet to learn lessons from how the likes of Ahmed Best, Jake Lloyd, and Hayden Christesen were treated during the prequel era and have since made the same mistakes with newer cast members such as John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, and Kelly Marie Tran. Obi-Wan Kenobi star Mose Ingram faced such a racist backlash from some people that Ewan McGregor felt the need to make his own video calling out these so-called “fans”.
Regrettably, Lucasfilm may not have handled the protection of their stars from cyberbullying exceptionally well. In previous attempts by Stenberg to defend herself, she was criticized as being “out of touch” by the very individuals engaging in offensive and personal attacks against her.
It is no secret that The Acolyte faced criticism from a section of the Star Wars community before they saw a single frame of footage. The series was review bombed before an episode had even aired, and people’s attempts to drag the series down even had them targeting the wrong Acolyte. While Stenberg’s reaction most likely won’t get The Acolyte renewed for Season 2, it is important that they spoke out, as there are some fans who might be blissfully unaware of the hatred The Acolyte received, and this at least shines a light on a topic that is often ignored by the studio’s involved.
The Acolyte
is now streaming on Disney+.
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2024-08-29 16:04