Jar Jar Binks Actor Says He Considered Suicide After 'Star Wars' Backlash

[Axolotl]

"It's still hard to talk about," Ahmed Best wrote on Twitter Tuesday. Ahmed Best faced such backlash after playing Jar Jar in the Star Wars prequels that he considered taking his life, the actor revealed Tuesday. Even though he did not name the franchise, Best wrote in a social media post that it was coming up on 20 years since he faced a resentment "that still affects my career today." Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace was released in 1999. It was Best's first major role in a film. Along with a scenic picture in which he and his child appear, Best wrote Tuesday, "This was the place I almost ended my life. It's still hard to talk about. I survived and now this little guy is my gift for survival." The goofy CG Jar Jar was loved by children, but for the most part was despised by fans of the original trilogy who felt the character was too out of place. In fact, they were downright brutal, Best told Wired last year. "I had death threats through the internet," Best told Wired. "I had people come to me and say, 'You destroyed my childhood.' That's difficult for a 25-year-old to hear." Star Wars creator George Lucas, on the other hand, liked the character, and Jar Jar appeared again in Attack of the Clones (2002) and Revenge of the Sith (2005). A number of followers replied to Best's Tuesday post, writing they were sorry to hear the experience was so rough on him. The actor and musician has been posting about possibly performing a one-man show timed to the anniversary of Phantom Menace. He closed his message Tuesday with, "Would this be a good story for my solo show? Lemme know."

 

[ORDER_66]

No one remembers you nikka.... stop it...The character of Jar Jar Binks was horrible no one knows who you are unless you TOLD them you played Jar Jar Binks nikka... Stop putting that shyt on your resume, blame george lucas for making a shytty poorly written slapstick character...

 

[TheGodling]

No one remembers you nikka.... stop it...The character of Jar Jar Binks was horrible no one knows who you are unless you TOLD them you played Jar Jar Binks nikka... Stop putting that shyt on your resume, blame george lucas for making a shytty poorly written slapstick character...

I mean, even the dude who played C-3PO makes tons of paper of fan conventions and shyt, and this dude can't even show his face without getting insulted for a trash character that George Lucas came up with. I understand that gotta hurt somewhat.

 

[MasterOfAllHeSurveyz]

All of these articles are pushing bullshyt. Ahmed said he got the backlash from the media, not the fans. This is being pushed by Disney since the criticism from fans since TLJ and Solo with their man-babes and fanboy tears crusade.

Example (timestamped):

 

[YakSpiller]

I'm having deja vu here...

 

[ORDER_66]

I mean, even the dude who played C-3PO makes tons of paper of fan conventions and shyt, and this dude can't even show his face without getting insulting for a trash character that George Lucas came up with. I understand that gotta hurt somewhat.

I mean I don't really know what these actors look like outta their suits tho.... that shyt be driving me crazy where the alien prosthetics look amazing to a point where you dont even see the actor anymore... and yes jar jar was mostly cgi here's some examples of what I mean...

If lucas made you an amazing character things would be different. He's to blame for that shyt...

 

[KravenMorehead™]

 

[FaTaL]

Kidd scard

• FaTaL
• Feb 27, 2016

 

[Wavy Hair Chipped Teeth]

How weak minded do you have to be to consider offing yourself because people hated a cartoon character you voiced?

 

[dontreadthis]

lol nikkas hate him enough to know how he looks in real life?

 

[goatmane]

yo Im tired of these soft azz actors

 

[Mike the Executioner]

When I first saw this, I thought to myself, "What, did they send him death threats?" And then it turns out they did.

That must have been really hard to handle. Imagine being a young actor, getting this major role in a legendary franchise, and inside you're like because you know you're about to be a huge star.

Then the movie comes out and everyone hates it, but because people misplace their aggression, you become the easiest target. You get told by people day after day that your character ruined the movie/franchise, that you need to die for playing the role, and had you not been in the movie, maybe it would have been better. Even though the character was unsalvageable and if it wasn't you playing it, it would have just been someone else.

Then it starts messing with your money because people don't want to work with you. You have this nasty scent of being the most hated character in a critically panned movie, then you get typecast, and it takes years for your career to get going, missing prime acting years and steady paychecks because of the one character you played.

Hollywood's not easy.

 

[Devilinurear]

Yeah star wars fans are pretty horrible.
They complain about everything.
Don't like black people
Don't like Asian woman
Don't like women who are not Carrie fisser
They just like jedi porn.

 

[Jello Biafra]

He sounds very sensitive because I wouldn't know Ahmed Best from a hole in the wall if I ever saw him anywhere.

 

[Lord Beasley]

char was right to question this shyt, seems like everyone wants to blast that they have problems with depression and shyt on the gram/tweeter. he made millions for this then, but now he wanna go public for what?? ppl forgot about this shyt years ago