Star Wars is understandably one of the most beloved entertainment franchises. It has become one of the pillars of the sci-fi community, established many classic characters of cinema, and has so many iconic moments. So it is disappointing that it also has to be acknowledged that Star Wars has some of the most toxic fans in regard to how they treat the actors behind the characters.

It Started With The Phantom Menace

This is a problem that mainly originated with The Phantom Menace. Fans of the original trilogy really did not like this kid-friendly entry into the series, and they placed a lot of that blame on Jake Lloyd (who played young Anakin Skywalker) and Ahmed Best (who voiced and did motion capture for Jar Jar Binks). Audiences for Star Wars turned into such toxic fans that they relentlessly harassed both of the actors over disliking their characters.

Justice For Jar Jar

Best, in particular, has said the hate he received over Jar Jar was horrible. He said people called his character racist, made death threats against him, and nearly drove him to suicide. Alluding to the toll the harassment over Star Wars took on him from its toxic fans, Best once posted an Instagram photo of him and his son on a bridge.

The caption read: “20 years next year I faced a media backlash that still affects my career today. 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.”

Unfortunately, The Phantom Menace was far from the only Star Wars movie that created toxic fans. Hayden Christensen also received backlash for his depiction of teenage Anakin. This was a trend that continued into the sequel trilogy, where numerous other actors were harassed and shared their stories.

Toxic Fans Railed On The Sequels Too

With the sequel trilogy starring Rey as the first female protagonist of the franchise, some could not help but notice the modern complaints seemed more gendered. In a recent article discussing Star Wars and the damage its toxic fans can do, Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy said, “I think a lot of the women who step into ‘Star Wars’ struggle with this a bit more. Because of the fan base being so male dominated, they sometimes get attacked in ways that can be quite personal.”

Daisy Ridley played Rey and was open about the backlash she faced. Kelly Marie Tran played Rose and the online negativity she faced was so great that many could not help but notice that her role was significantly smaller going from The Last Jedi to The Rise of Skywalker. Many in the Star Wars fandom speculated that perhaps the toxic fans had been successful in convincing the director to cut Rose’s role down since so many did not enjoy her character.

Consequences Of Cruelty

It seems like many fans make their comments as if they are lashing out at the character they dislike rather than the actor behind that role. Fans seem to not think of the consequences of their behavior. Some of the harassed actors have been open about falling into depression.

Jake Lloyd has openly struggled with severe mental illness. And Best nearly ended his life. This has caused Star Wars to understandably acquire a reputation for how cruel and toxic the fans can truly be.

Breaking Away From The Dark Side

However, one positive note is that in the last few years, many Star Wars lovers seem to be more cognizant of the harm toxic fans can do. Hayden Christensen was supported and welcomed back for the Obi-Wan Kenobi TV show. Ahmed Best recently returned for The Mandalorian. And even Jake Lloyd has fans clamoring for him to make a return.

So maybe Star Wars fans have finally learned their lesson and are trying to atone for the harm done in the past.