Fans are eagerly anticipating the release of the upcoming ‘Star Wars‘ series ‘The Acolyte‘, there’s a dark side to the show that Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy acknowledged during a recent interview with ‘The New York Times‘.
Kennedy addressed the disproportionate online harassment women in the franchise face compared to men. The issue, she noted, stems from the predominantly male fan base of the franchise. Here’s what she said.
Kathleen Kennedy Says Female Stars Of ‘Star Wars’ Have Been Highly Trolled
Ahead of the release of the upcoming ‘Star Wars‘ show ‘The Acolyte‘, Kathleen Kennedy recently said that female stars such as Daisy Ridley and Kelly Marie Tran have faced some significant online abuse during the release of the most recent ‘Star Wars‘ film trilogy. She clarified that ‘The Acolyte‘ is experiencing similar attacks from some corners of the fandom ahead of its release.
Kennedy opened up about the challenges of working within major franchises in the era of social media, as she noted the intense scrutiny and expectations that can be daunting. “Operating within these giant franchises now, with social media and the level of expectation — it’s terrifying,” Kennedy said.
“I think Leslye has struggled a little bit with it. I think a lot of the women who step into ‘Star Wars‘ struggle with this a bit more. Because of the fan base being so male-dominated, they sometimes get attacked in ways that can be quite personal,” she added.
‘The Acolyte‘, created by Leslye Headland, is set long before the events of ‘The Phantom Menace‘ Headland. Kennedy is known for her work on ‘Sleeping With Other People‘ and Netflix’s ‘Russian Doll‘. She is the first woman to serve as showrunner for a ‘Star Wars‘ series.
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Fans Tag ‘The Acolyte’ As ‘The Wokelyte’ Because Of Its Inclusive Casting
The show features major new female characters, played by Amandla Stenberg, Carrie Ann-Moss, Jodie Turner-Smith, and others. For several reasons, the show has not been received very well. According to ‘The Times‘, a vocal segment of the ‘Star Wars‘ fandom has predictably pushed back against the show.
Many criticized the ‘The Acolyte‘ trailer for the inclusion of numerous women, girls, and minority characters among the ranks of the Jedi. Some trolls even went so far as to derogatorily dub the series ‘The Wokelyte‘.
However, Kennedy has no regrets, as she clarified that the inclusion was intentional. “My belief is that storytelling does need to be representative of all people,” Kennedy said while speaking about her support for Headland’s vision for ‘The Acolyte‘. “That’s an easy decision for me,” she said.
“I stand by my empathy for ‘Star Wars‘ fans. But I want to be clear. Anyone who engages in bigotry, racism or hate speech … I don’t consider a fan,” she clarified. Fans can look forward to its debut on Disney+.
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