[vc_row][vc_column][vc_video link=”https://youtu.be/qfNiSkd3HfI” align=”center”][vc_column_text]Let me start out by saying, I enjoyed the Star Wars prequels. There is so much hate surrounding these movies that at times, I feel that the presence of social media only really mocks them due to the “mob mentality” or because they believe it’s fun. Perhaps, people didn’t fully dislike the Phantom Menace, but instead simply found fun in being as ruthless as possible because behind a computer, it’s simple to forget that it is people that are being cyberbullied.
Why am I being so forward about this? Because we have seen the result of these “fans” and their cruelty. As of recently, both Daisy Ridley and Loan Marie Tran have left social media because of cyberbullying. Twitter and Instagram are meant to be places where fans come together and these movies are supposed to be a loving, accepting arena for both actors and fans to interact, but instead it’s become a place where those who makes these movies become targets simply because for some, it seems fun.
One actor almost took it a step further. Ahmed Best, who played Jar Jar Binks; was so mercilessly the butt of jokes that he considered taking his own life. In a new video, Best opened up what had brought him to this decision and what ultimately made him decide against it. You can watch the video above.
Online harassment even caused creator George Lucas himself to walk away from the franchise.
“Why would I make any more,” Lucas shared with The New York Times in 2012, “when everybody yells at you all the time and says what a terrible person you are?”
We wish Ahmed Best the best and hope that fandom will transform past the need to poke fun while forgetting that the actors are people too.
Suicide Hotline: 1-800-273-8255
Source: CB
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A girl with too many fandoms to count.
Thank you for writimg this. I slays say the same thing to people. I really enjoyed the phantom menace. I really enjoyed the prequels. I didn’t/don’t however, like the newest two movies of the franchise. That doesn’t mean I’m going to harass the actors and actresses who played the parts. There are uncountable amounts of movies that are just terrible. Do you think Dwayne Johnson is getting harassed constantly for the awful(!) Fate of the Furious? What about “B” rated movies? Are the actors being taunted, insulted and harassed to the point of suicide? No. Star Wars is a huge name. Iconic with its own culture in society. But that doesn’t give ANYONE free license to be so absolutely horrible to other people. Especially when those people are doing a job they were hired to do. They didn’t write the scripts and they are following the directions of, well, the director… But in the end, they are just people too.
So thank you Ahmed Best. I loved your performance. You brought a fun and memorable character to life. Thank you Loan Marie Tran. You are a part of bringing a new generation of a beloved franchise to our lives and I am thankful for that.
And Thank you again Tia for this article. Though I didn’t get into the toxicity of social media I believe I said and wrote enough to make my point. And. To those hiding behind a screen, if you think these movies, actors and actresses are so terrible, PLEASE show everyone how much better of a screenwriter you are. Show us your acting abilities. If you give the world something incredible then you will be remembered for eternity. In other words, “put your money where you mouth is” or just be quiet.