Disney's 'The Acolyte' Creator Scolds 'Star Wars' Fanboys: 'Anyone Who Engages in Bigotry, Racism or Hate Speech I Don’t Consider a Fan'
Karwai Tang/WireImage/Disney/Lucasfilm
The creator of the new Disney+ series The Acolyte has issued a stern warning to Star Wars fanboys who engage in wrongthink, saying anyone who engages in what she calls “bigotry, racism, or hate speech” isn't a real fan.
The Acolyte creator Leslye Headland left the definition of those terms open to interpretation in a Variety interview.
“As a fan myself, I know how frustrating some Star Wars storytelling in the past has been. I’ve felt it myself,” she said. “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.”
#TheAcolyte creator Leslye Headland: "I know how frustrating some ‘Star Wars’ storytelling in the past has been…I stand by my empathy for fans. But I want to be clear: Anyone who engages in bigotry, racism or hate speech I don’t consider a fan.” https://t.co/FTLjRUFlTP pic.twitter.com/uku5djgZK7
— Variety (@Variety) May 29, 2024
The Acolyte, which began streaming Tuesday, is the latest Disney Star Wars series that prioritizes female heroines and other diverse casting choices. As Breitbart News reported, Disney cast gender “non-binary” actress Amanda Steinberg in the lead role, while also casting male-to-female transgender YouTube personality Abigail Thorn in a prominent supporting part.
Actress Jodie Turner-Smith also appears, playing the lesbian leader of a coven of witches.
The show's emphasis on identity politics has led some to dub it “The Wokelyte.”
Lucasfilm boss Kathleen Kennedy recently called out Star Wars fanboys in a New York Times interview.
“I think a lot of the women who step into ‘Star Wars’ struggle with this a bit more. Because of the fan base being so male dominated, they sometimes get attacked in ways that can be quite personal,” Kennedy said.
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