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Amandla Stenberg doesn’t deserve to be bullied by Star Wars fans

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Amandla Stenberg doesn't deserve to be bullied by Star Wars fans

Amandla Stenberg doesn't deserve to be bullied by Star Wars fans

Despite Lucasfilm not disclosing any information about the potential cancelation of The Acolyte, Star Wars enthusiasts are far from quiet in their discussions and speculations.

As a gamer, I find myself in a mix of feelings alongside fellow enthusiasts regarding the cancelation of “The Acolyte.” Some are heartbroken and disappointed, especially those who eagerly anticipated more from this series. Yet, there are others who share a sense of relief or even satisfaction about its cancellation.

What’s not acceptable is to be a bully.

There’s a section of the fandom that we hope no one ever runs into, especially the actors who were a part of the series and just tried to do their jobs. These fans bring shame to every Star Wars fan, and they’ve been trolling lead actress Amandla Stenberg mercilessly on Instagram. I will not get into the kinds of comments they’ve left, mainly because they’re all the same. They’re all mean-spirited and come from people who are taking sadistic pleasure in a show being canceled.

Warning: Some of the images below have swearing in them.

It’s regrettable and reflects poorly on Star Wars fans that such behavior occurs. This attitude can discourage filmmakers from accepting Star Wars projects due to potential backlash. For an aspiring female actor of color hoping to join the Star Wars universe, this must be disheartening. Whether Star Wars has addressed the situation or if Amandla Stenberg has reported it is unclear, but it’s likely they are aware of the events. After Moses Ingram experienced racist backlash in Obi-Wan Kenobi, she spoke out and received support from official Star Wars accounts. However, with The Acolyte series being canceled, it seems unlikely that a similar show of solidarity will occur again.

It’s unnecessary and harmful to bully actors, as they are merely bringing scripts to life. Rejecting their work is tough enough; adding to it by criticizing them online only intensifies the pain. Let’s avoid such behavior because it can leave lasting effects on the actors involved. Instead, let’s choose to move forward rather than perpetuating a cycle of bullying that has affected numerous Star Wars actors like Jon Boyega, Kelly Marie Tran, Daisy Ridley, Hayden Christensen, Ahmed Best, and Jake Lloyd in the past. While some manage to overcome it, everyone is affected by such mistreatment.

Grow up, Star Wars fans. There’s more to the world than a TV show or a movie you didn’t like. It’s time we realized that actors are also human beings with emotions, and the least we can do is learn to respect them, regardless of what we think of their work. If you’re glad The Acolyte is canceled, throw a damn party, but leave the actors alone! As the saying goes, “If you have nothing nice to say, don’t say anything at all.”

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2024-08-23 00:21

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