Amandla Stenberg in a still from ‘The Acolyte’
| Photo Credit: Star Wars
Amandla Stenberg has addressed the recent cancellation of The Acolyte, a Star Wars spin-off series, sharing that the news was “not a huge shock” following intense backlash from some fans. In an Instagram Story post, Stenberg opened up about the cancellation and the “rampage of vitriol” that surrounded the show even before its debut.
“There are many folks out there that I want to acknowledge and show appreciation and love and support for, so that’s why I’m hopping on here to talk about this, which is that our Star Wars show has been canceled,” Stenberg said. She noted that while she wasn’t entirely surprised by the decision, the experience had been deeply impactful. “For those who aren’t aware, there has been a rampage of vitriol that we have faced since the show was even announced, when it was still just a concept and no one had even seen it.”
Stenberg described the backlash as “hyper-conservative bigotry and vitriol, prejudiced hatred and hateful language” directed at the diverse cast, which included Lee Jung-jae, Charlie Barnett, Carrie-Anne Moss, Jodie Turner-Smith, and others. The actress, who has been vocal about the challenges she faced, admitted that the attacks affected her significantly when she first joined the project.
“Even though I anticipated it happening, it’s not something you can fully understand what it feels like until it’s happening to you,” she explained. Despite the negativity, Stenberg emphasized her commitment to her values, even within the context of working on such a massive franchise. “For me, it just became a situation where there was no option but for me to honor my sense of ethics and my belief system and my value system while being in this very unique position.”
The Acolyte, a mystery-thriller set during the final days of the High Republic era, followed Stenberg’s character, a former Padawan, as she reunites with her Jedi Master to investigate sinister forces. Although disappointed by the cancellation, Stenberg expressed gratitude for the opportunity to be part of the Star Wars universe, saying, “I still just feel a lot of levity and joy around the fact that I got to experience it and that people loved it.”
Co-star Lee Jung-jae also expressed his surprise at the show’s cancellation, praising creator Leslye Headland’s storytelling and looking forward to what could have been a promising second season.