In 1999,Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menaceushered in the dawn of a new era for theStar Warssaga, introducing audiences to the early days of the Galactic Republic, the Jedi Order, and a mix of new characters and younger versions of old ones. Now celebrating its 25th anniversary, the cast of the prequel trilogy have been looking back at the legacy of the movies, and picking out certain moments that stand out for them.
Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (null)
Among those reminiscing about George Lucas’ first expansion of theStar WarsUniverse, were Ewan McGregor andLiam Neeson, who made theirStar Warsdebuts as Obi-Wan Kenobi and Qui-Gon Jinn, respectively, inThe Phantom Menace. While their performances became instant fan favorites, the debut ofAhmed Bestas the voice ofJar Jar Binksbecame the subject of death threats, online hate and much criticism. This is something that never sat well with the two Jedi actors, as Neeson explained toEmpiremagazine. He said:
Ahmed was so funny and inventive. Myself and Ewan were personally hurt and offended by the critical reaction to the character.
Jar Jar Binksremains perhaps the most polarizing character ever introduced to theStar Warsfranchise. Designed by Lucas to be a source of comic relief in the movie, Jar Jar’s clumsy antics and unique manner of speaking divided audiences and critics in a way that has continued to rumble on for quarter of a century. Young viewers found him endearing and humorous, but long-time fans of the franchise, who had waited almost two decades to see the galaxy far, far away back on cinema screens, criticized his inclusion as pandering and distracting from the film’s more serious themes. As much as Neeson and McGregor were impacted by the reaction to the character, it was nothing compared to what Best was feeling.
Ahmed Best’s Star Wars Journey Has Finally Been Redeemed
Playing Jar Jar Binks almost led to Ahmed Best not only abandoning his career as an actor, but taking his own life. Last year, the actor opened up about the darkest time in his life on an episode ofThe Redemption of Jar Jar Binkspodcast, recalling:
I’m on the edge [of the Brooklyn Bridge], and I see the Statue of Liberty. And I see the East River. And the only thought in my head is, ‘I’ll show all of you. I’ll show you, I’ll show you what you are doing to me. And when I’m gone, then you’ll feel it.’
Thankfully, Best was able to pull himself back from the brink, and in 2023 he made peace with theStar Warsfranchise when he appeared inthe role of Kelleran Beq— the Jedi who bravely saved Grogu (Baby Yoda) from Order 66 during Season 3 ofThe Mandalorian. While it has not been confirmed whether Best will make any further appearances in the future, his new role did enough to provide him with the redemption he had sought since his time working on the prequel movies.
TheStar Warsfranchise can be streamed in its entirety on Disney+.
The Good (and Not-So-Good) of Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace
The Star Wars prequels get a lot of hate, but they still deserve their place in the hearts of Star Wars fans.
