It is surprising that people still find it shocking, despite the racist comments directed at Obi-Wan Kenobi star Moses Ingram.
Moses Ingram, IG. She speaks out about the racism she endured since becoming #RevaA in the new @Disney Series @obiwankenobi. White people are not afraid to accept Wookies and beings with three eyes. But they don’t like the idea of people of color. pic.twitter.com/AM685BTbjz
Several actors of color have been complaining about racism from Star Wars fans in recent years, such as John Boyega, Kelly Marie Tran, and Kelly Marie Tran.
This was not surprising to Ingram, a non-white Star Wars fan. Ingram aEUR”, whose role as Inquisitor Reva Svander lights up Star Wars, aEUR”, shared messages on social media she received from trolls using insults to denigrate one the most powerful Black women in the franchise.
What I find surprising is that Disney and Lucasfilm, the media companies behind Star Wars’ juggernaut, have not done more to support non-white actors or counter the racism they face in their roles.
Why did Ingram need to expose deeply disturbing and traumatizing messages in order to have this conversation openly? Ingram has stated that she was warned by the studio that her private racist fans would pursue her after the series premiered aEUR.” Why didn’t they take immediate action to denounce what they knew would happen?
Let’s have prominent executives speak out about racism among fans, before people of color go public with their trauma. Let’s have an advertisement campaign that calls out racists and encourages non-white performers. What about hosting social media events for fans to celebrate franchise diversity before any new film or TV series debuts?
Companies that make billions off these media properties should take swift action to stop racists.
Star Wars movie producers are replacing white stars with non-white actors. This is a move away from Star Wars’ white-centered narratives and makes them more appealing to younger audiences who have been raised in multicultural societies. The upcoming series Andor, Ahsoka, and Lando will feature non-white actors Rosario Dawson, Donald Glover, and Diego Luna.
This diversity, while welcome, makes these actors of color targets for disaffected fans who feel personally threatened by the changes. The performers are already under immense pressure to preserve the legacy of the franchise. Now, the public can see how they are being harassed and insulted online.
IaEUR(tm), it’s a shame that they are always met with hatred when a new female of color joins @StarWars Universe. It’s not hard to understand why. It was rhetorical. #MosesIngram, an amazing talent & kind QUEEN, is hateful because she SHINES. https://t.co/cdRWaZxB0S
This is also an extraordinary articulation of a discussion we’ve been having in public over many issues. Is it better to increase the racial diversity of a well-known franchise or hinder its storytelling?
Or, in other words, is diversity a strength or weakness of an institution?
This is a question that I honestly thought I knew the answer to. After seeing Chadwick Boseman’s Black Panther movie, Zendaya and Jacob Batalon’s Marvel’s Spider-Man movies, Pedro Pascal’s performance in The Mandalorian, and Dawson’s incredible performances in bringing to life Ahsoka Tano’s character, it is clear that this question was answered long ago. They have been a delight to watch, and have added value to the TV and movie franchises they have appeared in.
They shouldn’t be forced to deal with abuse by an online mob to do it.
These problems can be traced back to the origins of Star Wars. In my review of Obi-Wan Kenobi I mentioned that Star Wars creator George Lucas acknowledged that The Hidden Fortress, a Japanese film, influenced aspects of his films. It is unfortunate that Hollywood has a tendency to adopt Asian culture and not feature Asian actors or characters. The Jedi Knights’ costumes, fighting style, and mysticism seem lifted from this ethos aEUR.”
This, along with the fact that the original Star Wars films were so small for characters of color in them, has made it difficult for some Star Wars fans to see an inclusive Star Wars version without feeling compromised. It is absurd to imagine that anyone could object to Black, Latinx, or Asian actors in a story set on a distant galaxy with non-human characters that look like dogs and goldfish.
However, science fiction stories that are good quality are about humans at the time they are written. It makes sense then that current discussions about equality, multiculturalism, and tribalism would also be discussed here.
For an academic explanation of how a minority gains more power, see the definition of Group Threat Theory.
This is a great thing that Ingram has made public. I am a Black man who often writes about media and race. It is very traumatizing to be the victim of racist vitriol online. Nonetheless, exposing these messages is the only way to expose the problem and garner support from non-racist fans as well as the studio, press, and fellow actors.
It’s also great that Lucasfilm and Disney are willing to cast the roles they do. This may upset some fans but proves that science fiction and fantasy stories can be enjoyed by all. Today’s young children of color don’t need to imagine themselves as the heroes in Star Wars stories while they play.
It is now that we must protect the progress made by actors of color. Lucasfilm and Disney need to find ways to move this conversation forward aEUR”, in public aEUR”, so that racist fans don’t feel as welcome to express their views, and actors of color do not feel like they are being targeted.
Actors shouldn’t be forced to deal with the racism imposed upon them by anonymous fans. To make this happen, companies that employ them must be visible and substantial in helping to drown out the negative voices that threaten the franchise’s future.
