June 24th 2024.
The latest addition to the Star Wars universe, The Acolyte, has been garnering praise for its diverse cast. However, despite the inclusion of black female leads, the show has struggled to connect with audiences. Streaming on Disney+, the series features Amandla Stenberg in the dual roles of Osha and her evil twin Mae, with Jodie Turner-Smith as their mother and leader of a group of witches. While only four of the eight episodes have been released since its debut in June, the show has already received negative feedback, with an audience score of only 14%. Surprisingly, this score is even lower than that of the much-criticized 2008 film, The Clone Wars, within the Star Wars franchise.
Despite being touted as the "most inclusive and diverse live-action Star Wars project ever," critics have deemed the series "underwhelming" and accused it of being "woke." Showrunner Leslye Headland, who is openly queer, had promised LGBTQ+ representation in the series and specifically thought of Stenberg, who identifies as non-binary and gay, for the lead role. However, even with this representation, the show has faced backlash, with some claiming it is pushing a "woke" agenda. Even tech mogul Elon Musk joined in on the criticism, declaring Headland to be "more deadly than the Death Star" in response to a photo of her.
While Headland has been dealing with criticism from a certain demographic, Stenberg has also faced her own challenges. The actress has spoken out about the "intolerable racism" she has experienced from some of the franchise's fanbase. In response, she released a music video on Instagram, but even this was met with negative comments about her performance and the show overall. Some viewers have expressed disappointment in the show's storytelling, and have claimed it does not live up to previous Star Wars series.
Sadly, this is not the first time black actors within the Star Wars franchise have faced racist backlash. In 2015, John Boyega faced criticism after being cast as the lead in Star Wars: The Last Jedi. He spoke out about the backlash and even called out Disney in an interview with GQ Magazine. "You get involved in projects, and you're not always going to like everything," he said. More recently, after Moses Ingram was cast as a villain in the upcoming Obi-Wan Kenobi film, she was met with a flood of racist comments on social media, including the use of the n-word. In response, the official Star Wars Twitter account took a stand, stating, "If anyone intends to make her feel unwelcome, we have only one thing to say: we resist."
In light of these issues, Amandla Stenberg released a diss track addressing the racist response to The Acolyte. It is clear that there is still much work to be done in terms of inclusivity and acceptance within the Star Wars fandom. As the franchise continues to grow and evolve, it is important to remember the values it stands for and to stand against discrimination in all its forms.
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