Posted in: Disney+, Movies, Opinion, Preview, Star Wars, streaming, TV, TV | Tagged: disney plus, kathleen kennedy, lucasfilm, star wars, The Acolyte

Star Wars: Female Filmmakers "Struggle" with Toxic Fans: Kennedy

Lucasfilm CEO Kathleen Kennedy on how toxic fans create a "terrifying" experience for female filmmakers joining the Star Wars universe.

Sadly, it seems like we can't have a new addition to the "Star Wars" universe without having to deal with a certain percentage of so-called "fans" who react to hearing words like "diversity" and "representation" in a way that would leave you believing that someone just talked some serious sh*t about their mother. Unfortunately, Disney+, Lucasfilm, and series creator/showrunner Leslye Headland's Amandla Stenberg & Lee Jung-jae-starring The Acolyte is dealing with the same close-minded nonsense – attacking the series based solely on the cast and not on having actually having seen the show yet. Of course, you can rest assured that they've already conditioned themselves to hate whatever hits their screens at this point, so there's no chance of winning any of them over.

During a recent profile on the upcoming series, Lucasfilm CEO Kathleen Kennedy shared she understands how joining the franchise can be a "terrifying" experience for female filmmakers – including Headland. "Operating within these giant franchises now, with social media and the level of expectation – it's terrifying. 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," Kennedy shared with The New York Times. "My belief is that storytelling does need to be representative of all people. That's an easy decision for me."

Here's a look back at two of the more recent teasers and previews – followed by a look back at what else we've learned about the "Star Wars" prequel series:

In the following featurette that was released earlier this week, we get a chance to hear from Lee Jung-jae, his co-stars, and the creative team behind the series as they offer some additional insights into what Sol is all about. In addition, the actor shares what it's been like since joining the "Star Wars" universe and much more – here's a look:

The Acolyte Honors/Challenges "Star Wars" Ethos: Amandla Stenberg

During an interview with C Magazine, Stenberg shared how Headland pitched to series to her. "All the artwork was conceptualized with my face, and Leslye was like, 'So I've been working on this for about three or four years for you. I don't know what I'm going to do if you don't do it. No pressure," Stenberg revealed. "So I was sent to the moon, of course."

Filmed mostly at Shinfield Studios in Berkshire, England, Stenberg found the experience quite different from past productions. "The crews are so hardcore, they're so hardworking, and it's very kind of hierarchical and competitive, and people work their asses off. It's very different, I think, than what I've experienced on most American sets," she explained. Another big difference between The Acolyte and Stenberg's previous work? "I have a really, really heavy load in this show, an abnormal load," she adds.

While she's understandably under strict "no spoilers" watch, Stenberg was able to discuss the show's thematic goals and the perspective that it's taking. "In the context of the Star Wars universe, it's a time of great peace, theoretically. It's also a time of an institution, and it's a time in which conceptions around the Force are very strict. And I think what we're trying to explore within our show is when an institution has a singular conception of how power can be used…we try to provide a lot of different perspectives and answers to that question," Stenberg explained. "The idea is to kind of honor the ethos of Star Wars and ideas around the Force and also challenge them, hopefully harmoniously."

Disney+, Lucasfilm, and Headland's The Acolyte stars Amandla Stenberg (The Hate U Give), Lee Jung-jae (Squid Game), Manny Jacinto (Nine Perfect Strangers), Dafne Keen (His Dark Materials), Jodie Turner-Smith (Queen & Slim), Rebecca Henderson (Inventing Anna), Charlie Barnett (Russian Doll), Dean-Charles Chapman (1917), Carrie-Anne Moss (The Matrix), Margarita Levieva (Revenge, The Deuce), Rebecca Henderson (Inventing Anna), and Chewbacca actor Joonas Suotamo as the Wookie Jedi Kel Naka. Headland directed the premiere episodes (Eps. 101 & 102) – with directors Kogonada (Eps. 103 & 107), Alex Garcia Lopez (Eps. 104 & 105) and Hanelle Culpepper (Eps. 106 & 108) rounding out the lineup of directors. Along with Headland, Kathleen Kennedy, Simon Emanuel, Jeff F. King, and Jason Micallef will executive produce (with Rayne Roberts and Damian Anderson set to produce).

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