“Star Wars: The Acolyte” Star Amandla Stenberg lets the mask slip, “the goal was to make white people cry”

Last updated on June 11th, 2024 at 06:00 am

Actress Amandla Stenberg, who stars as Mae and Osha in Lucasfilm’s “Star Wars: The Acolyte,” drew attention recently for her 2018 comment that the goal was to make “white people cry.” The remark was made during her appearance on The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, while she was promoting her movie “The Hate U Give.” She clarified that causing an emotional response from white people was the intended goal.

This brings to mind additional instances of Lucasfilm’s contentious interactions with employees and Star Wars fans alike. Leslye Headland, a creator of “The Acolyte,” publicly stated that those opposing wokeness were not genuine Star Wars fans, a sentiment echoed by actor Ewan McGregor. Meanwhile, Lucasfilm defended racially-charged comments by Krystina Arielle, a Star Wars presenter, that all white people are racist.

The company also faced scrutiny for apparent double standards in employee treatment, as illustrated by the controversial firing of Gina Carano for her political beliefs, contrasted with retaining Pedro Pascal despite his public endorsement of movements like Black Lives Matter and Defund the Police.