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Credit: Lucasfilm/Frank Oz TwitterFrank Oz (Muppets, Sesame Street, Star Wars) is perhaps best known for being the puppeteer and voice behind Jedi Master Yoda in Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back (1980), Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi (1983), Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999), and Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi (2017).
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Oz recently took to social media to call out a disgruntled fan who shared strong opinions about Rian Johnson’s work on The Last Jedi.
As ComicBook.com reported, the volatile exchange began when:
…Johnson shared a post about Netflix often cutting off the credits of a film, with the filmmaker noting that watching the names of those responsible for a film is too important to be obscured by the streaming service’s “You might also like…” recommendation. This resulted in the troll spewing toxicity at the filmmaker.
“I’m still not over your awful [Star Wars] entry…the comment read. “I hope one day someone breaks something you cherish, Rian. And I hope, one day, you realize what you did, and you apologize EVERY DAY FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE. I hope you feel that amount of pain.”
Veteran entertainer Oz witnessed the online conversation and hit back at the disgruntled fan, writing:
It’s sad to me that you’ve harbored this internal darkness for so long about a movie. Rian is a great director, writer, & human being. Please try to understand that writers & directors are not there to fulfill the audience’s expectations. Good work breaks expectations.
It’s sad to me that you’ve harbored this internal darkness for so long about a movie. Rian is a great director, writer, & human being. Please try to understand that writers & directors are not there to fulfill the audience’s expectations. Good work breaks expectations.
— Frank Oz (@TheFrankOzJam) November 15, 2020
Related: Fans Urge Disney to Fire ‘Mandalorian’ Actress After Controversial Post
Fans seemed to relate to Oz’s response, sharing comments like:
Imagine having your life defined by carrying around unforgiveness that festers and becomes spite that continues to become hatred that slowly poisons your soul. All for just a (albeit terrific) movie. – Hunter Sanders
Imagine having your life defined by carrying around unforgiveness that festers and becomes spite that continues to become hatred that slowly poisons your soul. All for just a (albeit terrific) movie.
— Hunter Sanders (@HunterLSanders) November 15, 2020
Another Oz follower, James Van Fleet, wrote:
Weird how so many fans took away literally nothing from moral fables about the danger of holding onto entitlement and rage.
Weird how so many fans took away literally nothing from moral fables about the danger of holding onto entitlement and rage.
— James Van Fleet (@HorrorFilms101) November 15, 2020
Most recently, Oz voiced Yoda in the Star Wars: Jedi Temple Challenge game show.
Rian Johnson is currently rumored to be working on an entire Star Wars trilogy, but Lucasfilm and Disney have not confirmed these reports.
What do you think? Was Frank Oz right to call out this fan’s behavior on the web?