Jodie Turner Smith of THE ACOLYTE Hopes Disney Speaks Out Against Bigoted Harassment of Its Actors

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As a lifelong Star Wars fan and someone who has seen the franchise evolve over the years, I can’t help but feel disheartened by the repeated instances of bigotry and harassment directed at its talented cast members. The recent interview with Jodie Turner-Smith, who played Mother Aniseya in The Acolyte, was a stark reminder of the systemic issues that persist within the industry.

It’s been several months since Disney+ and Lucasfilm decided to halt production on “The Acolyte,” and it seems that the fanbase hasn’t moved on from this decision. The ongoing petition to bring the show back continues to gain momentum, with actors like Amandla Stenberg expressing their support. Particularly, they are addressing the hate-filled rhetoric the series faced almost immediately after its announcement. Recently, Jodie Turner-Smith, who portrayed Mother Aniseya in the series, spoke up through Glamour and TV Line, directly criticizing the powers that be for not defending their cast members against online bigotry. Here’s her statement:

Stop doing this thing where they don’t say anything when people are getting f–king dog-piled on the internet with racism and bullshit. It’s just not fair to not say anything. It’s really unfair. It would just be nice if the people that have all the money… were showing their support and putting their feet down. Say this is unacceptable…. Make a really big statement and just see if any money leaves. I bet you it won’t, because people of color, and especially Black people, make up a very large percentage of buying power. They might find that it’s actually more lucrative for them, but everyone’s using ‘woke’ like it’s a dirty word.

It’s clear she didn’t sugarcoat her words during this interview. The conduct she discussed isn’t unique to ‘The Acolyte’ or even ‘Star Wars’ as a whole. Over the past decade, similar instances have been observed within this franchise – from John Boyega and Kelly Marie Tran in the sequel trilogy to Moses Ingram in ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’. The pattern persists. While Ewan McGregor, the star of ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’, did address the harassment on his own initiative, it’s worth noting that such a statement from Disney/Lucasfilm wouldn’t necessarily halt the harassment. However, it would be reassuring to know they stand with their talent and aren’t leaving them exposed to online bullying without support.

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2024-10-09 03:02