‘The Acolyte’ Star Amandla Stenberg Responds To Racists on Social Media With a Song: “The Desperation of Oppressors is Rising”
The ‘Star Wars’ franchise, currently owned and managed by Disney, has faced challenges in recent years. Many traditional fans are unhappy with the new direction emphasizing female-led projects and diversity, which have become integral behind the scenes.
Moreover, there has been a noticeable decline in the quality of projects. The latest controversy surrounds the premiere of ‘Star Wars: The Acolyte,’ created by Leslye Headland and starring Amandla Stenberg as twins Osha and Mae in the series.
The show currently holds an 85% score on Rotten Tomatoes from critics, but a dismal 14% from fans, indicating widespread dissatisfaction. In a recent interview, Kennedy highlighted the challenges faced by women in Star Wars, citing personal attacks stemming from their involvement in projects. Critics of the show argue that the backlash is not about race or gender but rather stems from its perceived poor quality. Since its premiere, fans have criticized weak scripts, acting, and instances of canon inconsistencies, suggesting the creators’ lack of familiarity with previous films.
A particular target of criticism has been Amandla Stenberg herself. While critique of acting is one thing, racist attacks are unequivocally unacceptable. Stenberg confronted these attacks head-on by posting a defiant song on her personal Instagram account, accompanied by the caption:
Happy Juneteenth 🖤
and to those who are flooding me with intolerable racism—
since it took me 72 hours on my laptop to make this song and video, u got 72 hours to respond. and I expect choreo!!
You can listen to the entire song here:
Ironically, the song addresses racism but with its own underlying issues of racial sensitivity. Given the “intolerable levels of racism” Stenberg faces, it’s understandable why she feels compelled to defend herself.
What are your thoughts on the song? Share your opinions in the comments below!