Even before the show aired, Lucasfilm warned Obi-Wan Kenobi actress Moses Ingram that she may be the target of racism from the worst corners of the Star Wars fanbase. Sure enough, she was. After the spinoff premiered over the holiday weekend, Ingram was, like John Boyega and Kelly Marie Tran before them, pelted with bigoted online attacks. On Tuesday, the Star Wars team formally stood by her, and later that day, so did star/executive producer Ewan McGregor.
A personal message from Ewan McGregor. pic.twitter.com/rJSDmj663K
— Star Wars (@starwars) June 1, 2022
The actor began the message by thanking people for making Obi-Wan Kenobi the “most-watched Disney+ premiere of all time.” He then shifted to the attacks on Ingram, which he unequivocally condemned, even calling out those angry that a franchise that has always included Black actors in prominent roles is still doing it.
“It seems that some of the fan base has decided to attack Moses Ingram online and send her the most horrendous, racist DMS. I heard some of them this morning, and it just broke my heart,” he said. He continued:
“Moses is a brilliant actor. She is a brilliant woman. And she is absolutely amazing in this series. She brings so much to the series, she brings so much to the franchise. And it just sickened me to my stomach that this had been happening. I just want to say as the lead actor in the series, as the executive producer on the series, that we stand with Moses. We love Moses. And if you’re sending her bullying messages, you’re no Star Wars fan in my mind. There’s no place for racism in this world. And I totally stand with Moses.”
On Obi-Wan Kenobi, Ingram plays the relentless and exacting Inquisitor hunting down Jedi, who are now considered illegal under Sith rule. New episodes drop on Disney+ every Thursday.