Star Wars Condemns Racist Harrassment Of ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’ Star Moses Ingram

Moses Ingram, who plays a relentless Sith inquisitor in the recently released Obi-Wan Kenobi miniseries on Disney+, has become the latest Star Wars star to receive racist abuse online.

Ingram took to Instagram Stories this week to display a huge number of racist messages and threats against her being sent to her now that the first two episodes of Obi-Wan Kenobi had been released.

Several of the messages she shared referred to her as a “diversity hire,” and the first one she posted said, “you’re days are numbered,” which is upsetting to read even if the grammar error compromises it.

She then followed up with some videos talking to the camera, and first mentions that she got “hundreds” of messages like the few she shared. “I also see those of you out there who put on a cape for me, and that really does mean the world to me,” Ingram added.

“There’s nothing anybody can do to stop this hate, and so I question what my purpose is in even being here in front of you saying that this is happening,” she said. She said this hopelessness made her initially feel like she should just “grin and bear it, and I’m not built like that.” She thanked people who have supported her once again, then simply added for her racist haters, “Y’all weird.”

Reps for the franchise were not silent on the issue for long, and the Star Wars Twitter account released a statement condemning the abuse she has received at the hands of so-called fans. “There are more than 20 million species in the Star Wars galaxy, don’t choose to be a racist.

This unfortunately isn’t the first time a non-white cast member was subject to racist vitriol after appearing in the franchise. Kelly Marie Tran said the online hate she received after appearing in The Last Jedi caused her to go down a “spiral of self-hate.”

John Boyega has also been candid about racist treatment when he was announced as one of the lead characters Finn, a reformed Stormtrooper, in The Force Awakens. He told GQ that playing the role felt like, “I’m in an industry that wasn’t even ready for me.”