Yahoo Lifestyle "They Don’t Say Anything When People Are Getting Dog-Piled On The Internet With Racism": Jodie Turner-Smith Said Of Disney And Other Studios Who Don't Protect Their Actors
An unsettling pattern has formed when people of color are called to lead Disney sci-fi projects, which includes backlash and alarmingly disgraceful comments rooted in bigotry, and Jodie Turner-Smith has had enough of it.
Jodie stars in The Acolyte — Disney's latest installment in their Star Wars franchise. She appeared in flashbacks as Mother Aniseya, leader of a mysterious coven of witches on Brendok who possesses the ability to enchant Jedi and transform her physical being into a mystical cloud of black smoke.
The Acolyte, which was recently canceled after one season, was filled with a diverse cast, including Amandla Stenberg at the helm, Manny Jacinto, Lee Jung-jae, Dafne Keen, Charlie Barnett, and more. Amandla was the target of a lot of the negative comments.
But from the time the cast was announced, the show has been hit with racist comments from people online, masking themselves as members of the dedicated fandom. Well, Jodie opened up about this disgraceful treatment in her Glamour UK 2024 Women of the Year issue while also discussing the lack of support Disney showed throughout it all.
“[Amandla] put so much care and thought and love into that, and it’s disappointing to feel like your studio is not having your back in a very public-facing way,” Jodie said, alluding to Disney's silence as Amandla was being attacked online.
“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. It’s just not fair to not say anything. It’s really unfair.”
She stressed that the simple act of speaking out and taking a stance against the mistreatment would send a major message not only to the trolls sending the comments, but also the actors who have been affected by it.
“It would just be nice if the people that have all the money were showing their support and putting their feet down. Say 'This is unacceptable: You’re not a fan if you do this.’ Make a really big statement and just see if any money leaves."
"I bet you it won’t, because people of color, and especially Black people, make up a very large percentage of buying power. They might find that it’s actually more lucrative for them, but everyone’s using ‘woke’ like it’s a dirty word.”
Jodie is no stranger to online racism. When she earned the role of Anne Boleyn in the 2021 AMC+ limited series of the same name, people wasted no time voicing their anger about a Black woman playing a historical figure despite non-POC actors doing the same thing for years.
But despite that, she still believes that change will come: “Opinions change. What’s in vogue changes. We’re gonna get there at some point, to that place where people stop having a stick up their arse about people of color being a part of IPs that were created by white people. You know why? Because we’re never going to fucking stop participating.”
And when the show doesn't reach its expected success, when it comes to ratings or receiving multiple seasons, the blame typically tends to fall on the minorities: “We don’t get to fail upwards like a lot of white men."
"I just feel that some people are allowed to grow, and others have to be perfect, and if they’re not perfect — even when it’s great — people want to fucking tear it apart.”
In a series of Instagram stories she posted in late August, Amandla also spoke out about the "vitriol, prejudice, hatred, and hateful language" surrounding the show's cast, crew, and creators.
"This really affected me when I first got the job. Because it's just not something — even though I anticipated it happening — it's not something you can fully understand what it feels like until it's happening to you."
Similar incidents happened in 2022 when Moses Ingram received racist comments on social media from fans for taking on the role of the main villain in Obi-Wan Kenobi.
And John Boyega famously wiped his hands of the Star Wars franchise after he was bullied online and didn't see much character growth with his role. In 2017, when his costar Kelly Marie Tran's character from Star Wars: The Last Jedi and The Rise of Skywalker also received online hate, which led to her departure from social media, he spoke out in her defense.
John also spoke on how his character was also sidelined: "You get yourself involved in projects, and you're not necessarily going to like everything," John said in a GQ interview. "[But] what I would say to Disney is do not bring out a Black character, market them to be much more important in the franchise than they are and then have them pushed to the side. It's not good. I'll say it straight up."
"You knew what to do with these other people, but when it came to Kelly Marie Tran, when it came to John Boyega, you know fuck all."
When he voiced the character of Jar Jar Binks in the franchise, actor Ahmed Best received death threats after his phone number was leaked online and cruel websites were created. He revealed that he contemplated suicide because of it.
To learn more, be sure to check out Jodie's full Glamour UK interview.
It's truly horrible to see and hear about what these celebrities have been subjected to, and it breaks my heart knowing this won't be the last time something like this happens.
StopBullying.gov is an organization that provides resources to prevent harassment and bullying against children. Stomp Out Bullying offers a free and confidential chat line here.
