Ahmed Best Had (Understandably) Mixed Emotions About Returning toStar Wars

If you are awareAhmed Bestwas the motion capture thespian behind Jar Jar Binks in The Phantom Menace , you also probably know that the thespian suffered for portray what was ( and maybe still is ) the most reviled character in Star Wars chronicle . And if you sleep with that , there ’s also a decent chance that you were delighted byseeing Bestinthis week ’s episodeof The Mandalorian , and roll in the hay he finally had a chance to have a positive experience in the Star Wars universe — but his appearance was n’t an easy decision for him .

If you do n’t cognize , Best has talked openly about hismental health strugglesafter Star Wars fans castigated him for years because he played Jar Jar ( much as his Phantom Menace co - star Jake Lloyd suffered , regrettably ) . So when he was approach to play the Jedi Kelleran Beq — who well co - create for the Star Wars game show Jedi Temple Challenge — in Disney+ serial The Mandalorian , he was understandably hesitant . From an audience over atStarWars.com :

“ candidly , I had to recall about it . I ’ve been in the Star Wars world for such a long clip and my fib is such a rollercoaster drive of emotions . So get back to Star Wars was n’t an easy decision for me . It was n’t something I could have right away said yes to . I did have to marinade over it for a bit . I mean , I was frantic . I do n’t opine people really understand how much I wish about Star Wars . Like , I really care . I really , really care about the storytelling , about the mythology , about the lover . I really want Star Wars to deliver , and if I become an obstacle to that , then I should n’t be in it . I do n’t want to be bigger than the chronicle . I do n’t need to be large than the mythology . I need to contribute , I want to add to it . So it took me a hour . ”

Image: Lucasfilm

I ’m never going to be a Jar Jar Binks apologist , but I also call back the character come 100 percent from George Lucas ’ school principal , or at least Lucas approved everything that went on screen . I do n’t find fault Best at all . So to hear him say he was worried his coming into court might detract from the franchise is candidly heartrending to me . The idea that he would put Star Wars above anything , after the enfranchisement took such a cost on him , is just … astounding .

After more than 20 years of ill-usage , no one should profess that a guest appearance on The Mandalorian makes up for what Star Wars fans put Best through , no matter how delighted they might have been now to see him , or whether they consider his reappearance as some sort of redemption story . But fetch Kellran Beq into the Star Wars canon — and making him a pivotal eccentric in Grogu ’s story — is the right thing The Mandalorian has done in quite some meter . No pun intended .

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