Jar Jar Binks actor Ahmed Best entered the world of Star Wars with 1999’s Star Wars: Episode 1 – The Phantom Menace. The film is a part of the prequel trilogy along with Star Wars Episode II – Attack of the Clones (2002), and Star Wars Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005). The trilogy is not considered among the best in the franchise and is seen as a letdown compared to the original trilogy. The lackluster writing, narrative, and characters were the main factors that fans pointed out as being the main failures of the trilogy.
One of the main criticisms of the trilogy was the introduction of the character of Jar Jar Binks played by Best. The character is considered one of the worst characters in the franchise and fans have time and again ridiculed and mocked the character’s uselessness in the franchise. The widespread criticism affected Best in a bad way and it even provoked him to take a drastic step in his life.
Jar Jar Binks Backlash Still Affects Ahmed Best Even After 20+ Years
Ahmed Best received significant criticism for portraying the character of Jar Jar Binks in the Star Wars prequel trilogy. The backlash continued long after he had played the role and he had a hard time dealing with the constant criticism he was getting. He even considered committing suicide, unable to handle the criticism. In a since-deleted post on X, he wrote about how his son helped him get his life back on track (via Guardian),
“20 years next year I faced a media backlash that still affects my career today. This was the place I almost ended my life. It’s still hard to talk about. I survived and now this little guy is my gift for survival. Would this be a good story for my solo show? Lemme know.”
At the 2019 Star Wars Celebration event, Best got a standing ovation and was celebrated for his contribution to the franchise. He has also addressed that he wouldn’t mind returning as Jar Jar Binks if the script demands his presence.
Also read: 5 Actors Who Quit Star Wars After Once in a Lifetime Offer From $10.3 Billion Worth Franchise
Ahmed Best Has Returned to the Franchise as Kelleran Beq
Ahmed Best returned to the Star Wars franchise with the first-ever game show in the franchise called Star Wars: Jedi Temple Challenge. He also reprised the character in the third season of The Mandalorian. He talked about his return to the franchise to StarWars.com saying,
“I mean, I was excited. I don’t think people really understand how much I care about Star Wars. Like, I really care. I really, really care about the storytelling, about the mythology, about the fans. I really want Star Wars to deliver, and if I become an obstacle to that, then I shouldn’t be in it. I don’t want to be bigger than the story. I don’t want to be bigger than the mythology. I want to contribute, I want to add to it. So it took me a minute. I was still nervous. but it was really Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni, and being with them, that made me want to come back.”
It remains to be seen whether Best appears in the future of the franchise as Kelleran Beq. For now, Best is happy and contended as his new Star Wars character has been positively received in its first appearance unlike his previous one.
Sources: The Guardian, StarWars.com
