The Star Wars fandom has been making waves in the news lately, and not because of their Han Solo-related takes. Following a flood of harassment, The Last Jedi actor Kelly Marie Tran deleted her Instagram account, prompting an outcry of support from fans and fellow actors alike. Tran’s co-star John Boyega was the latest to voice his thoughts on the state of harassment and fan entitlement in the entertainment industry.
If you don’t like Star Wars or the characters understand that there are decisions makers and harassing the actors/ actresses will do nothing. You’re not entitled to politeness when your approach is rude. Even if you paid for a ticket! 🤷🏾♂️
— John Boyega (@JohnBoyega) June 12, 2018
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He followed up with a thank you shout-out to the fans who have been “putting themselves in the actor’s shoes.”
To the majority of Star Wars fans thank you for supporting and putting yourselves in our shoes. You understand that there is a process so much appreciated !
— John Boyega (@JohnBoyega) June 12, 2018
Boyega’s statements put him in the company of actor Mark Hamill, who posted a photo of himself and Tran together, and The Last Jedi director Rian Johnson, who called out trolls’ “critique” of the movie as disingenuous and hateful.
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This is far from the first run-in with harassment and trolling the Star Wars fan community has undergone since the launch of the new trilogy with The Force Awakens back in 2015, which garnered the vocal ire of fans after Twitter-based critics called main character Rey a “Mary Sue.” Since then, the franchise’s roster of new female characters — including Tran’s Rose Tico — have been subjected to onslaughts of trolling and harassment masquerading as criticism.
Directed by J.J. Abrams, Star Wars: Episode IX is set to arrive in theaters on December 20, 2019. The movie will star Daisy Ridley as Rey, John Boyega as Finn, Adam Driver as Kylo Ren and Oscar Isaac as Poe Dameron.