Ahmed Best considered suicide over Jar Jar backlash

[The_Somnambulist]

Holy shit.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat- ... sh-1124848

[Bandersnatch]

Jesus.

I also just saw this on BBC News:
https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-44708983

[The_Somnambulist]

I've never harbored any malice toward the character or the performance. I was 13 years old when I first saw TPM and distinctly recall finding his antics highly amusing. And for most of my time as a Star Wars fan, I've seen Jar Jar in the light GL seems to have intended; comic relief and an invocation of the mythological archetype of the fool or clown.

Coming from a visual arts background and knowing GL did so as well, I have always been sympathetic to the view of these films as art in addition to being entertainment (and highly entertaining at that!). In other words, I understand that these films can involve stark contrasts, sophisticated nuance, psychological motifs, poetic rhyming schemes and perhaps even an aiming toward certain truths while also serving more elemental emotional satiation. I think you're likely to trigger negative responses when you miss the forest for the trees (GL gives a ton of fucking interviews!) and see Star Wars as solely pew-pew entertainment. Therefore, if something's uncomfortable, displeasing or oppositional, you attack it for not conforming to a master objective of pleasure and emotional satisfaction.

[Bandersnatch]

^That.

Hell I was 33 in 1999, and did not mind the character. My one critique was the editing. Lucas could have trimmed a few bits of shtick here and there just for the sake of pacing, but I've always felt that way about ROTJ too. "Fans" who went apeshit over this one relatively minor character in the over all saga should be ashamed of themselves.

[Delan]

I enjoy the prequels but totally agree that a stronger edit would have done wonders. I've heard people say that the IMAX edit of ATOC is better cause it flows better. Hope Ahmed gets to enjoy the love from the kids that grew up with Jar Jar. I always felt that Jar Jar being held back in episode 2 actually hurt the film and was one of the only concessions GL made to "fans".

[The_Somnambulist]

Oh, that time IMAX upgraded certain feature films to their large format with a cropped, 1.43:1 aspect ratio and a max two-hour runtime...

I saw AOTC in that configuration and remember really enjoying it. I didn't mind the more streamlined cut but wouldn't have minded the regular theatrical cut.

Anyway, back on the topic of Best:

I really like the Jar Jar of TCW and Robot Chicken. They really went no-holds-barred with the character and Best's range of expression in those incarnations. I also admire how Best kept his pride and never walked away from the role. Although, one wonders why Jar Jar didn't feature at all in the '03-'05 Clone Wars micro-series.

[501ST]

This is awful of course and reminds me of the online attacks on Kelly Marie Tran to which she shut down her social media.

It's SAD that "people" feel the need to disabuse abuse people to the levels that occurs and of course all people who act in roles etc are not their character/creation from a movie.

[royalguard96]

More evidence that the worst part of Star Wars is the fans.

[SithWitch]

How awful to hear this. I personally have always adored Jar Jar, and I truly wish we could have seen what Lucas originally planned for this character before it was derailed by "fans". Mr. Best and Ms. Tran are undeserving of such abuse.

We mustn't call haters "fans".
Any suggestions on a better moniker?

[Bandersnatch]

We mustn't call haters "fans".
Any suggestions on a better moniker?

Doucherockets.

[yarq]

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[yarq]

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