Credit: LucasfilmStar Wars, along with the entire world of sci-fi and fantasy, has often not been a “safe space” for Black people, says Amandla Stenberg, the star of the upcoming series The Acolyte.
While this might seem to be an inflammatory statement from Amandla Stenberg, the actor has a point. While Star Wars may take place in a galaxy far, far away, and have been a long time ago, the franchise has often echoed racial tensions that occur within our own world.
Amandla Stenberg recently appeared on the Entertainment Weekly podcast Dagobah Dispatch along with her Star Wars: The Acolyte co-star Lee Jung-jae and showrunner Leslye Headland and discussed, in part, the complexity of racial issues within the franchise.
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While Amandla Stenberg could not reveal many of the plot details of Star Wars: The Acolyte, she did get into her thoughts on the genre, saying, “When it comes to the world of fantasy and sci-fi in general, it hasn’t felt like a safe space always for people of color… And it’s been a world that I’ve always deeply loved and been invested in. So, to be in any way, shape, or form a part of the wave that is ushering in inclusion and safety for Black nerds, it’s my dream come true.”
Star Wars has a tumultuous relationship with race, particularly since the acquisition of Lucasfilm by Disney in 2012. Stars John Boyega, Moses Ingram, and Kelly Marie Tran (all people of color) received varying levels of harassment from fans, which Lucasfilm eventually began to publically acknowledge in the last several years.
It is notable that the two leads of Star Wars: The Acolyte are both people of color. Prior to the Disney sequel trilogy (starring John Boyega), the only significant Black character was Lando Calrissian (Billy Dee Williams), who was essentially brought in as a potential replacement for Han Solo and largely sidelined when Harrison Ford was convinced to return.
So, yes, Amandla Stenberg is correct that she is part of a wave of inclusion for Black and POC stars in Star Wars, and hopefully, she will not have to withstand the same kind of campaign of harassment against her predecessors.
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While the plot of Star Wars: The Acolyte is still tightly under wraps, it has been revealed that it will take place during the High Republic era, approximately a century before the events of The Phantom Menace (1999). Lee Jung-jae and Amandla Stenberg play a Jedi Master and his former Padawan investigating crimes during the height of the Republic’s power. The series will premiere on Disney+ sometime in 2024, and co-stars Dafne Keen, Manny Jacinto, and Carrie-Anne Moss.
What do you think of Amandla Stenberg’s comments? Use the Force in the comments below!