Let’s just state it plainly: We live in a patriarchal society, one that favors cis, white men above all else, and that includes the entertainment industry. Though it’s changing for the better, becoming more diverse, there’s still evidence of the old ways holding strong, and Jodie Turner-Smith knows this.
This year’s The Acolyte proved that, once again, certain groups of people cannot stand the idea of a black person leading a franchise that was once so very, very white. The show was unceremoniously canceled after its first season, with Disney stating it was allegedly down to low viewership. While this may have been true, it doesn’t account for the absolute barrage of hate and bigotry aimed at the show from racist “fans.” Racism that Disney did little to admonish.
Amandla Stenberg led the series playing a pair of twins, Mae and Osha. The actress addressed the cancelation in an Instagram story, saying that since the show’s announcement her and the cast have experienced a “rampage of hyper-conservative bigotry, vitriol, prejudiced hatred and hateful language.” This is by no means new, POC actors in the Star Wars universe, such as John Boyega nad Kelly marie Tran, have faced similar backlash.
Studios should be doing more
Turner-Smith, who played Mother Aniseya in The Acolyte, is not only fed up at these “so-called fans” but also at the studios for not doing more to support the actors. “They’ve got to stop doing this thing where they don’t say anything when people are getting f**king dog-piled on the internet with racism and bullshit,” Turner-Smith told Glamour Magazine on Disney’s response, “It’s just not fair to not say anything. It’s really unfair.” Turner-Smith wishes that studios, including Disney, would do more.
“It would just be nice if the people that have all the money were showing their support and putting their feet down. Say this is unacceptable: ‘You’re not a fan if you do this.’ Make a really big statement and just see if any money leaves. I bet you it won’t, because people of colour, and especially Black people, make up a very large percentage of buying power. They might find that it’s actually more lucrative for them, but everyone’s using ‘woke’ like it’s a dirty word.”
She also states that, when it comes to POC creatives, “We don’t get to fail upwards like a lot of white men.” When there is already so much scrutiny facing an actor before the show even starts, the pressure is enourmous. “I just feel that some people are allowed to grow and others have to be perfect, and if they’re not perfect – even when it’s great – people want to fucking tear it apart.”
Shows fail all the time, sometimes things don’t work out, but when a show’s failing are being blamed on the casting of non-white actors by fans, that’s a huge issue. When the studios who are using those actors to make a profit aren’t saying anything, that’s an even bigger issue. Turner-Smith believes that a future where this is a thing of the past is coming.
“Opinions change. What’s in vogue changes. We’re gonna get there at some point, to that place where people stop having a stick up their arse about people of colour being a part of IPs that were created by white people. You know why? Because we’re never going to fucking stop participating.”
We can’t go back to where we used to be, and we won’t. Fans are either going to have to get on board or leave and take their hate with them.
(Featured image: Disney+)
Published: Oct 7, 2024 04:57 am