Not too long ago, Kevin Feige described modern internet culture as a hell pit, and in some cases, he’s definitely not wrong. The rise of social media has given anyone and everyone an opinion that they can voice to the masses, which has resulted in an overwhelming wave of negativity being directed towards anything that a certain section of fans don’t agree with.
As one of the most popular and beloved franchises in history, a lot of people hold Star Wars very close to their hearts, and weren’t shy in letting it be known that they didn’t care for the Sequel Trilogy. Not liking a movie is perfectly fine, but when Kelly Marie Tran was subjected to so much online abuse that she was forced off social media entirely, a line was crossed.
John Boyega, meanwhile, recently went public about his experience working for Disney and Lucasfilm, revealing his thoughts on how Finn and other supporting characters were shunted to the sidelines after initially being positioned as major parts of the trilogy. The 28 year-old has admitted in the past that he’s glad to see the back of the more toxic section of the fanbase, and in a recent interview, he urged the major studios to do more to protect their stars from wave upon wave of online backlash.
“When one of your actors, especially an actor that’s so prominent in the story, is announced as part of your franchise and then it has a big racial backlash and receives abuse online and that starts to form a shadow on what is supposed to be an amazing gift, it is important for the studios to definitely lend their voice, lend their support to that and to have a sense of solidarity not just in the public eye, but on the ground on set. Next time you cast someone in that position, you bring them through the process. They need that support. They can’t get Boyega-ed.”
John Boyega may be done with Star Wars for the time being, but it appears clear that he’s far from finished when it comes to trying to change the attitudes of both the fans and the executives in the boardroom. And with any luck, his words will resonate with those in charge and lead to a more healthy online culture in the years to come.
