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'I Live In The Bubble Of My Own' : Amandla Stenberg Reacts To The Acolyte Series Cancellation; Says THIS
Amandla Stenberg reflects on the cancellation of The Acolyte, expressing that the harsh criticism and online backlash weren’t surprising.
Amandla Stenberg, who starred in The Acolyte, shared her disappointment about the show’s cancellation after just one season, saying she isn’t surprised given the harsh online criticism and bigotry the cast faced.
Stenberg, who played twins Osha and Mae in the Star Wars series, addressed the negativity on her Instagram Stories. She described a wave of “vitriol, prejudice, hatred and fateful language” directed at the cast even before the show premiered.
According to Stenberg, the show’s diverse cast, including South Korean actor Lee Jung-Jae and British-Spanish actor Dafne Keen, faced criticism based on their backgrounds, which deeply affected her.
She said, “I’m going to be really transparent and say that it’s not a huge shock for me, of course, I live in the bubble of my own reality, but for those who aren’t aware, there has been a rampage of vitriol that we have faced since the show was even announced — when it was still just a concept."
Stenberg added, "No one had even seen it. That’s when we started experiencing a rampage of, I would say, hyper-conservative bigotry and vitriol, prejudice, hatred and hateful language toward us.”
The Acolyte, created by Leslye Headland, was set in the Star Wars universe about a century before The Phantom Menace. Despite a positive critical reception, the show struggled with online backlash, which led to its cancellation on August 19, with no more episodes planned. This decision came despite unresolved cliffhangers from the first season.
The Darkest Minds actress said, “It brought up a lot for me, a lot of social, and political dynamics…a lot about my own value system, how I respond to that kind of hatred, how I move through the world at large, and it just became inarguable for me at a certain point that in order to continue to be myself, I would have to honor my value system by being vocal, even within the context of working for Disney and working within the large edify camp within the large, massive IP that is Star Wars.”
In her Instagram post, Stenberg also thanked the LucasFilm team and Headland for their support and praised their efforts. She also reflected on how the current divisive climate, driven by echo chambers and biases, may have contributed to the show’s downfall.
Lee Jung-jae, another cast member, expressed surprise at the show's cancellation, despite his character’s death in the season finale. He admired Headland’s writing and directing, noting that he was eager to see a second season under her leadership.
The Acolyte ended its first season in July. In August, Lucasfilm announced that the show would not continue, even though the season ended with unresolved plotlines. Stenberg played twins Osha and Mae, who had contrasting roles in the story. The decision to cancel the series followed a mix of fan reactions and decreasing viewership.
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