The Acolyte star Manny Jacinto, who played Qimir/the Stranger, has shared his perspective on the backlash and criticism the Star Wars show faced, which is even more poignant with confirmation that the show has been canceled. The Acolyte’s controversies began before the show even premiered, and while it is far from the first of Star Wars movies and TV shows to face such intense backlash, there was an astonishing amount of vitriol in this case. These attacks also went far beyond review-bombing and criticizing the show (although that occurred too); the actors themselves were often attacked.

In an interview with Nuvo Magazine, The Acolyte’s Manny Jacinto specifically responded to the racist backlash that he and other co-stars have experienced since the Star Wars show premiered. Jacinto explained:

“I try not to get too caught up in it, because it’s just a black hole…I also learned early on in my career that if you’re going to believe the good, you have to believe the bad.”

It’s devastating to know that Jacinto and the other brilliant actors on this show were subjected to such treatment and that it felt so daunting that Jacinto likened it to “a black hole.”

This Is So Much Sadder After The Acolyte’s Cancelation

Few would argue that The Acolyte was a perfect show; however, while there are ways The Acolyte went wrong, it’s also clear that the backlash to the show, its creators, and its actors went beyond what was appropriate or acceptable. The point at which the actors were being subjected to racist attacks online made it clear that, at the end of the day, the hate for this show was often not truly about Star Wars or the ways the show could have been improved. Sadly, this also isn’t new in the franchise.

Star Wars actors like Moses Ingram and Kelly Marie Tran are also all too familiar with this type of online harassment. Not only have they spoken about it, but also, fan-favorite Star Wars actors such as Ewan McGregor have used their platforms and their popularity to call out this behavior and demand that it end. Unfortunately, even the words of Obi-Wan Kenobi himself clearly didn’t deter this trend from continuing with The Acolyte.

A personal message from Ewan McGregor. pic.twitter.com/rJSDmj663K — Star Wars (@starwars) June 1, 2022

Now, in light of The Acolyte not being renewed for a second season, this has only become all the worse. Manny Jacinto’s experience was heartbreaking enough, but taking his words into account in the context of the show being canceled is downright devastating. As Jacinto made clear in that interview, he hoped to be an inspiration to a younger generation of aspiring actors, especially Asian boys who can now see themselves on screen through Qimir. While he undoubtedly did inspire many, that work took place in an antagonistic context that ended in a disappointing way, to say the least.

It’s impossible to say what ultimately tipped the scales in Star Wars’ decision not to renew The Acolyte, as those conversations happened behind closed doors and may never come to light. Again, while The Acolyte had its legitimate issues, this intense backlash was almost certainly a factor. Sadly, this means that The Acolyte has come to an end in Star Wars, and, as Manny Jacinto’s interview makes clear, that was a painful process.