Disney's new Star Wars series "The Acolyte" has faced criticism from some conservative critics and fans who labeled it as "woke" and "the gayest Star Wars ever" due to comments about potential LGBTQ+ representation and themes, as well as the diverse cast.
Showrunner Leslye Headland and lead star Amandla Stenberg jokingly suggested that popular characters like R2-D2 and C-3PO could be part of the LGBTQ+ community, and Headland acknowledged infusing the series with LGBTQ+ themes.
An old clip of Amandla Stenberg resurfaced, where she claimed her goal was to make white people cry, leading to negative reactions to her racially-charged comment.
Despite the backlash, "The Acolyte" received positive reviews from critics and had a successful debut on Disney+, with Charlie Barnett's shirtless scene sparking excitement among fans on "Gay Twitter."
The series has also attracted criticism for its diverse cast and accusations of "wokeness" from some critics, with Disney CEO Bob Iger emphasizing entertainment over messaging in content.
The Acolyte has received negative reviews on Rotten Tomatoes for character development and staying true to canon, while some have criticized the wokeness at Disney, including Elon Musk.
The series features a former Padawan, mistaken for an assailant, hunted by her former master, and a martial arts revenge story about two sisters amidst vengeance and secrets, offering a more intimate take on Star Wars but struggling with narrative withholding and pacing.
Sources: Forbes, Western Journal, MSN, Pride, SFF Gazette, ComicBookMovie, The Pink News, Cinefilos, The Post Millennial, Autostraddle, OutKick.
This article was written in collaboration with Generative AI news company Alchemiq.
