Star Wars' Ahmed Best Recalls "Lowest Point," Mandalorian Return in The Redemption of Jar Jar Binks
Jar Jar Binks actor Ahmed Best opens up about the fan backlash to his Star Wars character.
Ahmed Best first joined Star Wars in 1999's Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace as Jar Jar Binks, a character that ended up being hated by many. Over the years, Best has opened up about the emotional toll the fan backlash had on him, so fans were incredibly happy to see him playing Jedi Master Kelleran Beq in the most recent season of Star Wars: The Mandalorian. Recently, Best spoke with The Guardian about his Star Wars history and his recent appearance on the new podcast, The Redemption of Jar Jar Binks.
Best has spoken before about contemplating suicide, and during his recent interview, he recalled the moment he stood on the Brooklyn Bridge as he thought about taking his own life. "I'll show all of you. I'll show you what you're doing to me. And when I'm gone, then you'll feel exactly what I went through," the actor remembered thinking. "It was terrible," Best explained. "It was the lowest I've been in my life," he added, saying he struggled to leave his home at the time.
"Jar Jar Binks isn't this rare story from 24 years ago. There are Jar Jars today, who it's socially acceptable to make jokes about online," Dylan Marron, host of The Redemption of Jar Jar Binks, explained. "I want people to hear what it's like to survive this abuse."
Best added of getting to save Grogu in The Mandalorian, "It really felt good ... As an artist, I lost my confidence for so many years, but The Mandalorian gave me that affirmation of 'You were always doing the right thing ... It wasn't you.'"
"Telling this story is never easy," Best wrote in an Instagram post this week. "I've held on to it for so long and sometimes sharing it brings me back to those challenging emotional times. The biggest reason I persist on sharing is because I realized I'm not alone. You are not alone Thank you @guardian and @dylanmarron for allowing me to share my story with you all." You can view his post below:
Will Ahmed Best Ever Play Jar Jar Binks Again?
Despite the Jar Jar Binks backlash, Best has said he'd be open to playing the Gungan again. "I would return as #jarjarbinks but it really depends on the story," the actor tweeted when a fan asked about a possible return back in 2020. Some fans thought he might pop up in Obi-Wan Kenobi last year, but it did not end up happening.
"Not as far as I know, no. I haven't been asked," Best shared with Jamie Stangroom's YouTube channel about being involved in the Ewan McGregor-led series. "I just don't know. To be completely honest I think Jar Jar is something Lucasfilm are trying to move away from, I'm not going to hold my breath for a Jar Jar cameo in Obi-Wan but you know, who knows."
The final episode of The Redemption of Jar Jar Binks will be available to stream for free on August 2nd.
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