New Disney+ Star Wars Show Sparks Concern among Fans after Comments by Actress, Creator
An old clip of the actress who is starring in the upcoming Disney+ Star Wars series “Star Wars: The Acolyte,” has gone viral, causing concern among fans about the intention of the show.
The clip, from a 2018 interview with Trevor Noah for her film “The Hate U Give,” features Stenberg stating that the goal of the film was to make white people cry.
During the interview, Noah asked Stenberg what she hoped audiences would take away from “The Hate U Give.” Stenberg responded, “Well, I mean, white people crying actually was the goal,” prompting laughter from Noah.
The resurfaced clip has led to further apprehension among Disney and “Star Wars” fans about the new series, considering the actress’s past comments along with the beliefs of the show’s creator.
The showrunner and creator of “The Acolyte,” Leslye Headland, has attracted attention for her remarks about the series. In a recent interview, Headland described the show as “arguably the gayest Star Wars by a considerable margin.”
Headland, who is lesbian, clarified that the show does not intentionally emphasize gay themes but acknowledged feedback from viewers describing it as the “gayest ‘Star Wars'” series.
Headland had also previously told The New York Times that she believes people who oppose left-wing policies are not “true fans” of Star Wars.
“As a fan myself, I know how frustrating some ‘Star Wars’ storytelling in the past has been. I’ve felt it myself,” she told the outlet. Headland then clarified, “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.”
The controversy stems around the same time that Pixar, another studios owned by Disney, has announced that it is advising directors of upcoming projects to focus less on “autobiographical tales.” Instead, Disney’s Pixar is attempting to focus on creating content that has a “clear mass appeal,” according to Bloomberg.
