As Lucasfilm continues to expand the known Star Wars universe far and beyond fans’ expectations, they continually put their commitment to casting diverse actors front and center.
Unfortunately, being more open and embracing a wider range of talent that better represents the world’s population comes with backlash from the worst dregs of folks who call themselves “fans” of Star Wars making racist statements about the actors involved.
The first Obi-Wan Kenobi trailer came out at the beginning of the month, and Moses Ingram’s Reva has drawn a significant amount of focus. In the trailer, we see her as an Inquisitor attempting to hunt down surviving Jedis under Darth Vader’s orders.
According to Ingram, the upcoming show, to be released on Disney+ later this week, continues to build on Lucasfilm’s commitment to diversity more than ever.
“Obi-Wan is going to bring the most diversity I think we’ve ever seen in the galaxy before,” Ingram told The Independent. “To me, it’s long overdue. If you’ve got talking droids and aliens, but no people of color, it doesn’t make any sense. It’s 2022, you know.”
The Star Wars fanbase has a terrible and unfortunate history of racism, to which actors John Boyega and Kelly Marie Tran can speak, but this time, Ingram says they’re doing their best to protect their diverse cast.
The Reva actress said that Lucasfilm and Obi-Wan director Deborah Chow had gone into the casting of the show with the knowledge that it would bring out the worst in the fandom and wanting to do their utmost to stand by their cast.
“It was something that Lucasfilm actually got in front of, and said, ‘This is a thing that, unfortunately, likely will happen. But we are here to help you; you can let us know when it happens.’”
Ingram gave credit to director Deborah Chow and others in Lucasfilm for “putting the proper systems in place so I feel safe as we do the work.”
Ingram is ready for whatever the racist bullies try to throw her way, saying, “There are always pockets of hate – but I have no problem with the block button.”
Obi-Wan Kenobi begins streaming on Friday, May 27 on Disney+.
The post LucasFilm Warned Black ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’ Actress About Racist Fans appeared first on The Mother of All Nerds.
LucasFilm Warned Black ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’ Actress About Racist Fans
Source: Pinoy Inquirer News
Post a Comment