Jar Jar Binks Actor Says He Considered Suicide after “Star Wars” Backlash

Derangel said:
Yes because an actor totally can't suffer with depression. Its impossible for people like that to have struggles. Attitudes like yours do not help.
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The internet is legion of people blasting rich, powerful and successful people. And they are often called aloof, arrogant, SJWs, etc. I think self-preservation depends on ignoring haters.
 
Honestly I think the prequel movies weren't that bad compared to the sequel movies and spinoffs that have been coming out the past few years...
 
Krazy925 said:
Fuck I’m old as shit.
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Me too, I saw the original Star Wars (first day of general release) on my way home from college (for a weekend visit). Was driving by the theater on Friday and saw Star Wars marquee so decided to check it out. There were 3 other people in the theater with me. Was pretty sure it was going to be a hit when I walked out, but I really didn't expect the frenzy. Some of my friends went 4 or 5 times.
 
IndyColtsFan said:
I can imagine George sitting by the fire one night, sipping fine Scotch, and thinking to himself:

“Do you know what would REALLY sell a ton of toys? A goofy looking character who acts like a total moron and is the butt of jokes throughout the movie! Kids will love it and it will sell millions of action figures!”
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"I mean, it worked with my Ewoks, amirite?"
 
For all the same reasons people hate him, I happen to love the Jar Jar character. But then again, obnoxious satire appeals to me so it makes sense I guess.

Love him or hate him, you have to admit that its impressive for a supporting role to create this much controversy and keep it alive two decades later.
 
If Jar Jar was designed to be a very irritating comic relief that manages to get useful stuff done without mystical microbial force abilities, then Mr Best nailed it. Probably deserves an Oscar for voice acting. Those that designed Jar Jar deserve a horrible fate like being digested for several hundred years.
 
haz_mat said:
For all the same reasons people hate him, I happen to love the Jar Jar character. But then again, obnoxious satire appeals to me so it makes sense I guess.

Love him or hate him, you have to admit that its impressive for a supporting role to create this much controversy and keep it alive two decades later.
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I was unmarried at the time and took a girl to see The Phantom Menace on opening day. About 1/4 of the way through, I turned and she had fallen asleep. By the end of the movie, I don't know who was more dazed - her from waking up from her nap or me from the sheer horror I felt after watching that movie. I couldn't wrap my head around what I just witnessed - my first thought was that perhaps George Lucas had gone completely senile.

Jar Jar was definitely a big part of it, but Anakin was awful as well. And I don't blame either actor - I think the idea of having Anakin be a 9 year-old kid was just a very bad idea. Someone (I believe here on [H]) once commented that Anakin should've been late teens or early 20s and already a hotshot pilot when Obi-Wan found him. It could've made for a much better story and would've fit the narrative Obi-Wan gave Luke in ANH so much better.
 
OpenSource said:
I'd be telling everyone to "Kissa My Assa" while driving off in my Lambo

And really you're afraid of Star Wars fans? The ones that were that triggered by Jar Jar are the neckbeards that drive scooters.

How is this shit even news? I feel like this downplays suicide for those who really suffer..
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You mean the Lambo you are paid to valet park? I would be surprised if he made $25,000 for his role. Definitely did not make millions.
 
IndyColtsFan said:
I was unmarried at the time and took a girl to see The Phantom Menace on opening day. About 1/4 of the way through, I turned and she had fallen asleep. By the end of the movie, I don't know who was more dazed - her from waking up from her nap or me from the sheer horror I felt after watching that movie. I couldn't wrap my head around what I just witnessed - my first thought was that perhaps George Lucas had gone completely senile.

Jar Jar was definitely a big part of it, but Anakin was awful as well. And I don't blame either actor - I think the idea of having Anakin be a 9 year-old kid was just a very bad idea. Someone (I believe here on [H]) once commented that Anakin should've been late teens or early 20s and already a hotshot pilot when Obi-Wan found him. It could've made for a much better story and would've fit the narrative Obi-Wan gave Luke in ANH so much better.
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The first film should have been Attack of the Clones, the second Clone Wars, then Revenge of the Sith.

There is, honestly, no need to ever sit through the boredom of Phantom. Honestly, the film is offensive because those Aliens (trade negotiations) are basically the Chinese. Which, a friend pointed out, and I can never unsee it.
 
twonunpackmule said:
The first film should have been Attack of the Clones, the second Clone Wars, then Revenge of the Sith.

There is, honestly, no need to ever sit through the boredom of Phantom. Honestly, the film is offensive because those Aliens (trade negotiations) are basically the Chinese. Which, a friend pointed out, and I can never unsee it.
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When the film was released, the press did call Lucas out for what seemed to be a very stereotypical and exaggerated Asian accent for the Trade Federation/Neimoidians. I just don't know what the heck he was thinking, but he knew that TPM wasn't going to be received well when released.
 
IndyColtsFan said:
When the film was released, the press did call Lucas out for what seemed to be a very stereotypical and exaggerated Asian accent for the Trade Federation/Neimoidians. I just don't know what the heck he was thinking, but he knew that TPM wasn't going to be received well when released.
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I don't have that good of a memory. I just don't think it's something discussed much today about the film. I've only had the nerve to sit through the film twice. Once in the theater, and once with the RLM commentary. Even the commentary couldn't make watching that film any easier.
 
Jar Jar was originally supposed to look like an anthropomorphic catfish with a grunting Tim Allen / Scooby Doo voice. But people thought the voice was too close to Scooby Doo, and the look was too close to a flattened Admiral Ackbar.
 
I call bullshit on this. For one, the vast majority of prequel hate has only become trendy in the last few years. Yes nobody liked Jar Jar but I don't remember hearing or reading about anyone thinking that one character ruined the movies especially since he was written out of Ep 2 and 3.

"Death threats" always makes me roll my eyes. It's usually something somebody claims when they're looking for sympathy. I am a huge, HUGE Star Wars nut and I wouldn't know this guy if I tripped over him.

No way I buy he had hordes of people tracking him down to tell him he "ruined their childhood" when his stupid character didn't even ruin the one and only movie he was in. Especially 20 years ago when NOBODY hated the prequels.
 
Seriously? There was nothing but vitriol towards the character at the time. From the 1st day of release. As to death threats, who knows but it wouldn't surprise me.

It's a shame he wasn't the Sith Master as has become theorised (though I think is BS). There's an (anti) redemption arc I'd have been down with.
 
MacLeod said:
I call bullshit on this. For one, the vast majority of prequel hate has only become trendy in the last few years. Yes nobody liked Jar Jar but I don't remember hearing or reading about anyone thinking that one character ruined the movies especially since he was written out of Ep 2 and 3.

"Death threats" always makes me roll my eyes. It's usually something somebody claims when they're looking for sympathy. I am a huge, HUGE Star Wars nut and I wouldn't know this guy if I tripped over him.

No way I buy he had hordes of people tracking him down to tell him he "ruined their childhood" when his stupid character didn't even ruin the one and only movie he was in. Especially 20 years ago when NOBODY hated the prequels.
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It took some time for Ep1 to get a lot of hate, but Jar Jar was hated pretty much out of the gate. It sounds like Best wanted the character to mean something to people and was really looking forward to people's reaction. He really thought people would love Jar Jar. On top of that, it sounds like he had a rough time going through school so he likely suffers from depression. That combined with the pretty instant backlash from fans its pretty easy to see where it would have led him down a bad path.
 
"oh no, the movie failed!!! It was (in my mind) as unlikely to fail as Trump was to get elected President. Now I must commit suicide!!! Woe is me, woe ..."

Liberals are so dramatic
 
Anyone touting the mantra "This new character destroyed my childhood" is an overdramatic dipshit and should be ignored. The Prequels didn't destroy anyone's childhood. If you didn't like the new movies that is fine. They in no way caused you to lose childhood memories of good things. That isn't how nostalgia works.
 
If they would have turned his character into a sith lord like the story originally intended, JarJar would not have been so insufferable. We would have gone back to Episode one and realized Darth JarJar had been manipulating the situation the entire time. Every time he *accidentally stumbles into trouble it directly affects the plot. Generally adult audiences hate lucky characters, who stumble their way through the movie. If JarJar is an evil Sith Lord, and you understand that he's being intentional, it changes the understanding of the character.
 
the over use of phrase SJW's shows me who the real snowflakes are in this thread yes the whole damn planet is trying to go out of their way to directly marginalize and impact you in your daily life. LOL
 
maxius said:
the over use of phrase SJW's shows me who the real snowflakes are in this thread yes the whole damn planet is trying to go out of their way to directly marginalize and impact you in your daily life. LOL
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That is normal for most things. Everyone likes to bring up SJW all the time for everything. The entire world has turned into snowflakes
 
Derangel said:
Yes because an actor totally can't suffer with depression. Its impossible for people like that to have struggles. Attitudes like yours do not help.
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With all the people we have lost over the years due to them taking their own lives due to their depression the one that should of kicked everyone in their respective reproductive organs was robin williams yet we as a society did not learn a damn thing from these tragedy's and keep marginalizing peoples daily struggles to put on that happy face while they are dying inside.
 
maxius said:
With all the people we have lost over the years due to them taking their own lives due to their depression the one that should of kicked everyone in their respective reproductive organs was robin williams yet we as a society did not learn a damn thing from these tragedy's and keep marginalizing peoples daily struggles to put on that happy face while they are dying inside.
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Not to mention Anthoy Bourdain, just last month. People need to wake the hell up when it comes to mental health issues.
 
Derangel said:
There is a world of difference between criticism and sustained abuse. Don't blame the victim for being a victim. Blame the douchebags issuing the abuse. All your post is doing is defending the toxic pieces of shit in on the internet and excusing their behavior. That is the wrong approach to take.

The media is definitely painting a picture of the types of "people" that do that shit, but it doesn't mean those "fans" don't exist and are not a problem. Like the movie, dislike it, whatever, there is no excuse to attack and harass the people involved. Of course, on the other hand, it would be better if certain people involved with the franchise did not essentially egg people on by focusing solely on the minority of fans and trying to say that they're the only ones that didn't like the new movies. People like Rian Johnson and Kathleen Kenndy are making it worse for the actors.
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I’m not standing up for these morons that are hurling abuse at people they think they know. But I will stand by the fact that most of us have been bullied at one time in our life, and we had to learn how to cope with it, or otherwise get away from it. As an adult, you simply cannot expect to go through life without meeting another bully. I have faced this many times, and for the most part there is not much you can do about it, other than ignore it to death.

Some of these stars are only talking about this because it’s in the media, a sympathetic media at that, and it helps sell their personality and their product. Right now, it’s fashionable for these people to tell anyone that will listen, how badly their treated, how hard life is, and look at me, I’m adorable, go see my movie, go read my book etc.
 
Stimpy88 said:
I’m not standing up for these morons that are hurling abuse at people they think they know. But I will stand by the fact that most of us have been bullied at one time in our life, and we had to learn how to cope with it, or otherwise get away from it. As an adult, you simply cannot expect to go through life without meeting another bully. I have faced this many times, and for the most part there is not much you can do about it, other than ignore it to death.

Some of these stars are only talking about this because it’s in the media, a sympathetic media at that, and it helps sell their personality and their product. Right now, it’s fashionable for these people to tell anyone that will listen, how badly their treated, how hard life is, and look at me, I’m adorable, go see my movie, go read my book etc.
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It being something the media talks about is a good thing. The media's intentions might be suspect, but people feeling like there is a good outlet to share their stories and talk about struggles with issues like this is a good thing. There needs to be more awareness of not only how shitty people can be, but also that everyone, no matter who they are, can struggle with depression and come near a tragic breaking point. Shining a light on these issues, getting them into the public eye, is good. Best's little Tweet is actually positive. He didn't kill himself and in the time since he nearly did he now has a family and has moved on in his career. It's still a struggle for him because depression is always a struggle, it will be for his entire life. People should feel free to discuss these problems because it is better for everyone. So fuck anyone that wants to talk shit about someone sharing their story.
 
the bad-assery coolness of Darth Maul overrides the lameness of Jar Jar in Phantom Menace...when I think of the movie Maul is the first thing that comes to mind
 
polonyc2 said:
the bad-assery coolness of Darth Maul overrides the lameness of Jar Jar in Phantom Menace...when I think of the movie Maul is the first thing that comes to mind
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Same. Primarily, the entire Duel of the Fates fight. Pretty much the only good fight in prequels.
 
polonyc2 said:
the bad-assery coolness of Darth Maul overrides the lameness of Jar Jar in Phantom Menace...when I think of the movie Maul is the first thing that comes to mind
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Derangel said:
Same. Primarily, the entire Duel of the Fates fight. Pretty much the only good fight in prequels.
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Yep, when Darth Maul first pops up it was like "ah hell yes!" a cool bad ass antagonist for ths prequels....

...and then they kill him off like a bitch side character.

Jar Jar was a crappy poorly written character that should have been a small side character when the Jedi meet with ths Gungans and nothing more. Kind of like Anakin should have been a side bar character while on Tatooine, that Qui-Gin Jinn/Obi-Wan Kenobi notice is force sensative, and that is it.
 
twonunpackmule said:
I, honestly, don't believe him. His character was CG and was before "social media." A percent of a percent of a percent would even know who he was. I bet you he could walk anywhere during the early aughts and not a single person would know who he was. I think he's compounding the complaints of the character as complaints to him.

Now, Jake Lloyd. That poor bastard.

To be truthful, I didn't even know who he was until this "broke."

But, I heard he's promoting some book or something.
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It's not normal people looking for him and commenting
Normal people don't care enough to even look at the credits
Hell common sense would dictate that all he did was play the role he was given, including the lines he spoke

But there sure are "fans" that actually have nothing better to do than harass and troll

Edit:
Surprised no one posted that one
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Oh I see what you're doing. Insidious. Disney trying to guilt trip people who criticised star wars. Clever, but it won't work. I'll still criticize shit for the shit it is, you're not getting one over on me this easy you ratspawn.
 
heatlesssun said:
The internet is legion of people blasting rich, powerful and successful people. And they are often called aloof, arrogant, SJWs, etc. I think self-preservation depends on ignoring haters.
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Like there was no such thing as hate mail and death threats before instagram / twitter ? It was brought by the postman in a bag. This is nothing new, there were always haters. And it doesn't matter if something is good or bad either, everything has haters. But the new star wars movies (with exception to rogue one) happen to be bad.
It's typical progressivism to try and blame ones own failures on someone or something else.
 
Welcome to the internet where 14 year olds will contact you and give you death threats about Jar Jar Binks. Youtubers deal with this everyday, grow some skin.
 
I was let down with Ep 1-3. I thought they were awful. I remember leaving Phantom Menace after it was over - part of my brain refused to believe the tragedy I just watched. The other part of the brain told me to go home and watch Predator followed up by Aliens.
Even though the films were utter crap, I never blamed the actors. Hell, look at some of the lines they had to read - how could anyone deliver them?
There were a few characters in the films I liked: Darth Maul (killed too soon), Mace Windu (could be because I like Samuel Jackson?), Tusken Raiders.
 
If you take out Jar jar, and to a smaller degree, Anakin, it’s actually a decent movie. Darth Maul is one of the best villains in any of the movies, the only issue being his lame as hell death which was stupid as hell and not believable considering his skill we had witnessed. Like LOL stupid!
 
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twonunpackmule said:
I, honestly, don't believe him. His character was CG and was before "social media." A percent of a percent of a percent would even know who he was. I bet you he could walk anywhere during the early aughts and not a single person would know who he was. I think he's compounding the complaints of the character as complaints to him.

Now, Jake Lloyd. That poor bastard.

To be truthful, I didn't even know who he was until this "broke."

But, I heard he's promoting some book or something.
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I had to look up "Jake Lloyd" but when I saw the IMDB page I about spit my cereal up. Too funny. He looks like he will be in the paper any day now on a meth bust. Poor bastard.
 
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