‘Star Wars’ defends ‘Kenobi’ star Moses Ingram from racist hate
The official “Star Wars” Twitter account is defending “Obi-Wan Kenobi” star Moses Ingram after racist backlash directed at her on social media.
“We are proud to welcome Moses Ingram to the Star Wars family and excited for Reva’s story to unfold. If anyone intends to make her feel in any way unwelcome, we have only one thing to say: we resist,” they wrote in a rare statement.
“There are more than 20 million sentient species in the Star Wars galaxy, don’t choose to be a racist.”
The 29-year-old actress revealed that she received “hundreds” of racist messages on social media since the Disney+ series debuted on May 27.
Messages the actress shared on her Instagram Stories include the use of the N-word and claims that she was a “diversity hire.”
“You won’t be loved or remembered for this acting role,” one toxic fan wrote.
“There’s nothing anybody can do about this. There’s nothing anybody can do to stop this hate,” Ingram said in a video on her Instagram story.
“I question my purposes in even being here in front of you saying that this is happening. I don’t really know.”
Ingram mentioned feeling like she has to “shut up and take it.”
Ingram told the Independent that Lucasfilm warned her about potential racist comments she might receive in the wake of her casting, and now Lucasfilm and Disney have come out in support of the actress, calling out the racism she’s faced.
“It was something that Lucasfilm actually got in front of and said, ‘This is a thing that, unfortunately, likely will happen. But we are here to help you; you can let us know when it happens,’ ” Ingram said.
At the time, the actress said director Deborah Chow, as well as others at the studio, put “the proper systems in place” to make her feel safe.
This is not the first time actors in the “Star Wars” franchise have faced racism from hostile fans.
Kelly Marie Tran, 33, received backlash online for her role as Rose Tico in “The Last Jedi,” and John Boyega, 30, also experienced racism after being cast as Finn in the “Star Wars” sequel trilogy.
Many “Star Wars” fans have praised the franchise for defending Ingram and making a public statement.
Episodes 1 and 2 of “Obi-Wan Kenobi” are now streaming on Disney+ with new episodes dropping Fridays.
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