The Star Wars prequels are not fondly remembered by fans of the franchise. The prequel trilogy was criticized for its lazy storytelling, useless characters, and undermining what the original trilogy had established.
The retconning of many aspects of the original trilogy received significant criticism and the characters that were introduced except for Anakin Skywalker, Mace Windu and Obi-Wan Kenobi did not make a mark. One of the many complaints from fans was the addition of some random and useless alien characters like Jar Jar Binks and Nute Gunray.
Jar Jar Binks is considered one of the worst characters in the franchise by fans although George Lucas, the creator of the franchise claims that the character is his favorite. Ahmed Best, the actor who played Jar Jar Binks was extremely upset by the widespread criticism from fans and considered attempting something drastic with his life.
Ahmed Best Contemplated S*icide Amid The Hatred His Character Received
Ahmed Best is best known for portraying the character of Jar Jar Binks in the Star Wars prequel trilogy. The character was one of the many elements that the audiences did not enjoy about the trilogy and he was very upset hearing the widespread criticism of his character from fans.
He talked to ABC News about the overwhelming effect it had on him and the drastic action that he contemplated. He talked about trying to commit s*icide by jumping from the Brooklyn Bridge saying,
“I felt alone. And anytime you feel alone in a situation that’s overwhelming I think you’re going to go into some kind of a state that moves into the unhealthy. As a black man from New York City, from the Bronx, there’s this facade that I can’t be hurt. In actuality, I was really just crumbling inside. I looked at my son and I realized that, ‘I almost didn’t have you.’ And he’s the best thing that ever happened to me in my life. Had I not stepped away from the edge of the bridge, my life wouldn’t have been as fundamentally changed in such a positive way.”
Best got a standing ovation and a lot of support from audiences and fans when he appeared at the 2019 Star Wars Celebration in Chicago. He has also addressed that he loved playing the character and would reprise the role if the script calls for it.
Also read: 5 Actors Who Quit Star Wars After Once in a Lifetime Offer From $10.3 Billion Worth Franchise
Adam Best Returned to the Franchise With Star Wars: Jedi Temple Challenge
Ahmed Best has returned to the Star Wars franchise with the first-ever game show in the franchise called Star Wars: Jedi Temple Challenge. The game show sees young padawans being tested for their strength, endurance, and perseverance in their pursuit of becoming a Jedi Knight. Best plays the host Kelleran Beq. He talked about his character to ABC News saying,
“Kelleran is the ultimate temple master. He can appear to be kind of funny, kind of goofy. He gets ribbed a lot by AD-3, the droid. But at the end of the day, what Kelleran Beq is trying to do is make you the best Jedi that you can be.”
He also reprised the character in the third season of The Mandalorian on Disney+. The game show can be watched for free on the StarWarsKids.com website and the Star Wars YouTube channel. Curious fans can also watch Best’s portrayal of Jar Jar Binks in the prequel trilogy on Disney+.
Also read: Maybe the Star Wars KOTOR Remake Isn’t Being Killed Off After All
Source: ABC News
