Jar Jar Binks Actor Ahmed Best Almost Attempted Suicide After ‘Star Wars’ Fans Sent Him Death Threats

Jar Jar Binks, the character debuted in the 1999 Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, had incredible potential for aspiring actor and avid Star Wars fan Ahmed Best, who voiced the role served as its CGI body. Never did he expect to receive such tremendous backlash and threats from viewers, who pushed him to the point of almost ending his life.

He spoke to The Guardian in light of the release of the Ted-produced podcast The Redemption of Jar Jar Binks, which tells Best’s story.

He was first cast as the body of Binks, which was one of the first major movie characters to be created with CGI and motion capture. Ultimately, he was cast as the voice of the character, as well.

Even before the movie was released in theaters, Binks was not well received, as Best recalled hearing talk show host Conan O’Brien on TV say that his character would “ruin the movie.”

Eventually, the comments escalated to abuse. Hate websites were created in the like of JarJarSucks.com and JarJarBinksMustDie.com. The hatred soon transcended the character and was pushed onto Best himself, as his phone number was leaked to the public and viewers called him with death threats.

“It was terrible,” he shared. “It was the lowest I’ve been in my life.”

The role then began getting criticized for racism, as critics and scholars noted that he was and spoke in “demeaning pidgin English that will give many older viewers an unfortunate reminder of Hollywood’s more blatant racial stereotypes.”

As a Black man who is proud of his background, Best was horrified by the accusations. These allegations drove him to his breaking point, when he went to the Brooklyn Bridge and considered jumping and taking his own life. The wind made him hold on, and caused him to discover his willingness to live.

“It was terrifying – just terrifying,” he said.

On a 2018 trip to New York with his son, he captured a picture of the Brooklyn Bridge and posted it to Twitter, writing, “20 years next year I faced a media backlash that still affects my career today,” and added that “this was the place [he] almost ended [his] life,” while crediting his son as his “gift for survival.”

After his tweet went viral, he received love and support from fans, who apologized for their terrible treatment. He was given the role of Kelleran Beq in a Star Wars Kids YouTube game show in 2020, which made its way onto the third season ofThe Mandalorian.

Best acknowledged that he is still uncertain about the podcast title’s use of the term “redemption.”

“I don’t feel like Jar Jar – or I – need redemption,” he told The Guardian. “I’m looking at it as our redemption, as the people who love Star Wars.”

The Star Wars films and spinoffs are available on Disney+.

If you or someone you know are experiencing suicidal thoughts, call the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 988.