In a new interview with The New York Times for the upcoming “Star Wars” series “The Acolyte,” Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy acknowledged that women in the space franchise often face more online attacks than men because of the predominantly male fan base.
Kathleen Kennedy’s Perspective
Kennedy, reflecting on fan reactions to female stars like Daisy Ridley and Kelly Marie Tran during the recent “Star Wars” film trilogy, recognized that challenges also lie ahead for “The Acolyte.” She noted, Because of the fan base being so male dominated, they sometimes get attacked in ways that can be quite personal.
The Acolyte’s Distinctive Approach
The Acolyte is directed by Leslye Headland and presents a story set long before “The Phantom Menace.” Headland is the first woman to be a showrunner for a “Star Wars” series. With past credits including “Sleeping With Other People” and co-creating Netflix’s hit comedy series “Russian Doll,” Headland brings a fresh perspective. Her show introduces significant female “Star Wars” characters portrayed by actors such as Amandla Stenberg, Carrie Ann-Moss, Jodie Turner-Smith
, and others.
Fan Backlash Is Swift
According to comments reported by The Times, some fans have pushed back against the show. Criticisms include comments like, Why are there so many women, girls and minority characters increasingly dominating the ranks of Jedi?
, with trolls even nicknaming the series The Wokelyte.
Kennedy’s Support for Diversity
Kennedy remains steadfast in her support for Headland’s creative direction. She explained, My belief is that storytelling does need to be representative of all people. That’s an easy decision for me.
Navigating Online Expectations
Kennedy emphasized the unique challenge for women in prominent roles within such iconic franchises: Operating within these giant franchises now, with social media and the level of expectation — it’s terrifying.
Headland has already started to limit her online presence to avoid toxic fan interactions: 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.
Follow Us
