Lucasfilm CEO Kathleen Kennedy has admitted that women in Star Wars suffer more harassment “because of the fan base being so male dominated”.
The franchise has long fielded misogynistic and racist comments from online trolls, with both Daisy Ridley and Kelly Marie Tran previously leaving social media as a result of the abuse.
Now, ahead of the release of the new Disney+ Star Wars series The Acolyte, the same issue has repeated itself, with some fans referring to the show as “The Wokelyte” due its diverse cast.
Created by Leslye Headland, The Acolyte is set long before the events of The Phantom Menace (1999) and charts the emergence of the Dark Side during the High Republic era.
“Operating within these giant franchises now, with social media and the level of expectation — it’s terrifying,” Kennedy said, in a new interview with The New York Times.
“I think Leslye has struggled a little bit with it. 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.
“My belief is that storytelling does need to be representative of all people. That’s an easy decision for me.”
Headland, who directed Sleeping with Other People and also co-created the hit Netflix comedy series Russian Doll, is the first woman to serve as showrunner on a Star Wars series. The Acolyte introduces a number of new female characters and a diverse cast featuring Amandla Stenberg, Carrie Ann-Moss, Jodie Turner-Smith, Dafne Keen and Manny Jacinto.
“As a fan myself, I know how frustrating some Star Wars storytelling in the past has been. I’ve felt it myself,” Headland said, addressing the abuse she’s received from fans.
“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 Acolyte follows respected Jedi Master Sol (Squid Game‘s Lee Jung-jae) as he digs into a spate of crimes that pit him against Mae (Amandla Stenberg), a dangerous renegade from his past.
Keen, who stars in The Acolyte as Jecki, Sol’s young Padawan, recently spoke to NME about the upcoming series. “It’s really about the social negotiation of power and identity – and where you fit into that [negotiation],” she explained. “The way Leslye decided to explore that is through setting it in the High Republic Era [of Star Wars lore] and the premises of Jediism.”
Star Wars: The Acolyte will be available to stream on Disney+ from June 5.