Star Wars actor Liam Neeson, who played Qui-Gon Jinn in the prequels, has commented on the backlash to the Jar Jar Binks character. Speaking to Empire, Neeson said he fondly remembers working with Jar Jar Binks actor Ahmed Best during the production of the prequels, and said the blowback that Best received was offensive to himself and Obi-Wan actor Ewan McGregor.
“Ahmed was so funny and inventive,” Neeson said. “Myself and Ewan were personally hurt and offended by the critical reaction to the character.”
Best did the voice and motion capture for Jar Jar Binks, a CGI character, starting with 1999’s Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace. Critics and fans had a lot of negative things to say about Jar Jar Binks, and some said the character was a racist caricature.
Best said in 2018 that he considered taking his own life due to the hate. “I faced a media backlash that that still affects my career today. This was the place I almost ended my life,” he wrote in a post with an image of himself standing on a bridge with his son.
In 2022, GameSpot’s Chris Hayner explained why Jar Jar Binks is good and deserves love.
In 2023, Best appeared in an episode of The Mandalorian has Kelleran Beq. He also did voice work for The Last of Us: Part II, among other video games.
Looking ahead, there are numerous Star Wars films in various stages of development. The next film, The Mandalorian & Grogu, is set for release in 2026.
