Queer fans are voicing their frustration following Disney's cancellation of *The Acolyte* after just one season.
The series, set 100 years before the Star Wars prequels, featured Amandla Stenberg as Osha and Mae, twin siblings with Force abilities who find themselves on opposing sides when Jedi Master Sol (Lee Jung-jae) investigates a spree of killings targeting other Jedi.
In addition to its intriguing plot, *The Acolyte* was notable for its representation of queer talent both on-screen and behind the scenes. Created by queer showrunner Leslye Headland and starring queer actors such as Stenberg, Charlie Barnett, and Rebecca Henderson, the show also highlighted Mae and Osha’s two mothers (played by Jodie Turner-Smith and Margarita Levieva), who led a mystical space coven.
Despite earning a 78% critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes and garnering a dedicated fanbase, *The Acolyte* faced significant review-bombing, resulting in an 18% average audience score. Forbes reported that within three weeks of its release, the series received over 25,000 user scores, surpassing the total for all three seasons of *The Mandalorian* combined.
The backlash against one of the few live-action Star Wars series focusing on women, people of color, and queer individuals is particularly striking. This response began even before the show premiered, following a viral interview where *The Wrap*’s Drew Taylor described *The Acolyte* as “arguably the gayest Star Wars” series. Many queer viewers feel the cancellation reflects a preference for catering to online trolls rather than embracing a diverse and passionate fanbase.
One fan expressed their disappointment on Twitter, noting, “I don’t have much to add about the *The Acolyte* cancellation that hasn’t already been said, but it’s incredibly disheartening that women, people of color, and queer individuals have to constantly fight to simply exist in the Star Wars universe.”
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