J.J. Abrams On "Star Wars" Cast's Racial and Sexual Diversity

Yesterday at Comic-Con, director J.J. Abrams held forth on the racial and sexual diversity of the actors portraying the characters of the Star Wars franchise. From CNET's article: For Star Wars, it's a complex debate. The franchise has included prominent and strong female characters, like Princess Leia, as well as central characters played by black actors, such as Cloud City administrator Lando Calrissian, played by Billy Dee Williams, and Jedi Mace Windu, played by Samuel L. Jackson. On the other hand, Jar Jar Binks, a computer-generated alien in 1999's "Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace," drew fire from some critics, who said he called to mind demeaning black film characters such as those played by Stepin Fetchit in the 1930s. (Not to mention other cultural stereotypes that pop up in Episodes I, II, and III.)

Comments

Boycott it for tolerance

[Kohath]

Unless there's a short-haired lesbian wookie I'm boycotting. We need to stand strong for tolerance.

Young Anakin

[tgibson]

from Episode I is clearly mocking every horrible child stereotype. It is because of these kinds of caricatures that birth rates have been dropping.

Re:Never heard that one before

[myowntrueself]

Agreed, Jar Jar was awful, but anyone trying to make this into any kind of race issue should be tied and quartered. Really, nothing better to think about? Fuck them.

Can Jar Jar please be transsexual?

Re:Never heard that one before

[MightyYar]

I just want to know how "ganjadude" was still available to a 30-year-old with a user id pushing 1 million.