The Star Wars Actress Jodie Turner-Smith Slams Disney for Not Doing Enough to Combat Racism

Jodie Turner-Smith plays Mother Aniseya in The Acolyte series, a spinoff story set approximately 100 years before Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace.

At the very start of the project, long before audiences saw the teaser, the series was inundated with racist, bigoted commentary, mainly aimed at lead star Amandla Stenberg.

Notably, the series was abruptly cancelled after just one season, citing low ratings and insufficient income. This led Jodie Turner-Smith to speak out on the matter,

“They’ve got to stop doing this thing where they don’t say anything when people are getting fucking dog-piled on the internet with racism and bullshit,” Turner-Smith said. “It’s just not fair to not say anything. It’s really unfair.”

Bizarrely, this isn’t the first instance of blatant racism toward the Star Wars cast. When John Boyega starred in the much-anticipated Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi, he too was subjected to overwhelming hatred.

Turner-Smith elaborated that it would be beneficial if those with financial power, like Disney, stood up more firmly against racism. She suggested they should make it clear that such behavior is unacceptable, stating, “You’re not a fan if you do this.”

Turner-Smith believes that a bold statement from Disney wouldn’t lead to financial losses, as people of color, especially Black people, hold significant buying power.