Amandla Stenberg Talks ‘The Acolyte’ Cancellation

Amandla Stenberg in a still from “The Acolyte” | Photo credit: Star Wars

Amandla Stenberg discussed the recent cancellation of The AcolyteA Star Wars The news didn’t come as a huge shock, despite some fans reacting strongly. In an Instagram post, Stenberg addressed the cancellation and the “vitriol” that surrounded the show before it even debuted.

“There are a lot of people out there that I want to recognize and show my appreciation, love and support for, that’s why I’m coming here to talk about this, that is, our Star Wars “The show was canceled,” Stenberg said. She noted that while she wasn’t entirely surprised by the decision, the experience had been deeply impactful. “For those who don’t know, we’ve been dealing with a wave of vitriol since the show was announced, when it was still a concept and no one had even seen it.”

Stenberg described the backlash as “hyper-conservative bigotry and vitriol, prejudice-based hatred and hateful language” directed at the diverse cast, which included Lee Jung-jae, Charlie Barnett, Carrie-Anne Moss, Jodie Turner-Smith and others. The actress, who has spoken openly about the challenges she faced, admitted that the attacks had a significant impact on her when she first joined the project.

“Even though I expected this to happen, it’s not something you can fully understand until it happens to you,” she explained. Despite the negativity, Stenberg stressed her commitment to her values, even in the context of working on such a major franchise. “For me, it became a situation where I had no choice but to honor my ethics, my belief system, and my value system while being in this very unique position.”

The Acolytea mystery thriller set during the final days of the High Republic era, followed Stenberg, a former Padawan, as she reunites with her Jedi Master to investigate sinister forces. While disappointed by the cancellation, Stenberg expressed gratitude for the opportunity to be a part of the Star Wars universe, saying, “I still feel a lot of lightness and joy around the fact that I got to experience it and people loved it.”

Co-star Lee Jung-jae also expressed surprise at the series’ cancellation, praising creator Leslye Headland’s storytelling and looking forward to what could have been a promising second season.