Amandla Stenberg recently addressed the cancellation of the Disney+ series Star Wars: The Acolyte on her Instagram story, revealing that the decision did not come as a shock to her. The series, set in the Star Wars universe, was discontinued following its first season amidst a barrage of negative reactions from certain fan sectors. Stenberg, who portrayed twins Osha and Mae in the show, expressed that the series faced significant backlash involving vitriol and bigotry from the outset, even before its release.
Stenberg’s roles in The Acolyte placed her characters on opposing sides of The Force, a dynamic that she discussed in a detailed Instagram story. In her statement, she highlighted the challenges of navigating such hostility, emphasising the importance of staying true to her values in the face of prejudice. She recounted the difficulties of working on a high-profile project like Star Wars during divisive times, particularly as a Black woman in the industry.
“I’m going to be transparent and say it’s not a huge shock for me,” Amandla Stenberg begins in the video. “There has been a rampage of vitriol that we have faced since the show was even announced, when it was still just a concept and no one had even seen it. That’s when we started experiencing a rampage of, I would say, hyper-conservative bigotry and vitriol, prejudice, hatred and hateful language towards us. And this really affected me when I first got the job, because it’s not something you can fully understand what it feels like until it’s happening to you.”
Stenberg continued, “I still feel a lot of levity and joy around the fact 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 that were just so beautiful and filled my heart with joy, and I just want to let those people out there who supported us in that way, and supported us vocally in the face of all the vitriol we received… just that you were deeply loved and appreciated.”
Kathleen Kennedy, president of Lucasfilm, also weighed in on the toxic masculinity she perceives within the Star Wars fandom in a New York Times interview. She discussed the challenges faced by women creating content within the Star Wars franchise, acknowledging that they often encounter more severe criticism due to the predominantly male fanbase.
The Acolyte, which was set about 100 years before The Phantom Menace and at a time when the Jedi were at their zenith, aimed to introduce fresh narratives into the Star Wars saga. It featured a diverse cast, including Filipino Canadian actor Manny Jacinto, South Korean actor Lee Jung-jae, British-Spanish actor Dafne Keen, and Canadian actress Carrie-Anne Moss, among others. Despite receiving critical acclaim for its storytelling and depth, the show encountered severe review-bombing and poor user ratings online, which were believed to contribute to its lower viewership and eventual cancellation.
Lee Jung-jae, who played Master Sol in The Acolyte, expressed his surprise at the show’s termination to Entertainment Weekly. He appreciated the creative direction of Leslye Headland, the show’s creator and noted the quality of her writing and character development. Despite his character’s death in the finale, Lee had looked forward to the series’ continuation under Headland’s leadership.
The cancellation of The Acolyte underscores the ongoing struggle for diversity and representation in major franchises. Amandla Stenberg, along with her colleagues, highlighted the social and political dynamics at play, suggesting that the divisiveness affecting our society has seeped into fan reactions and impacted the series significantly. Despite the show’s cliffhanger ending and the introduction of potential new characters like Darth Plagueis, it appears that The Acolyte will not continue, marking a significant moment in the ongoing conversation about diversity in entertainment.
Natalie is a big fan of anything related to movies, TV shows, games, and comics — you name it. When she’s not reading or geeking out about the latest shows on Netflix, she’s probably playing gacha and tabletop games, or daydreaming of meeting her idols.
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