Yahoo Movies Rian Johnson slams Star Wars trolls after Kelly Marie Tran quits social media
Rian Johnson, the director of Star Wars: The Last Jedi, has slammed the racist and sexist trolls responsible for harassing actress Kelly Marie Tran.
Tran, who played Rose Tico in The Last Jedi, deleted all of her Instagram posts over the weekend, and quit social media, despite being a (predominantly) hugely popular online presence with over 190,000 followers.
Fans were quick to point out that she had been the subject of online abuse for months.
Taking to his own Twitter account, Johnson began reasonably enough, suggesting the ‘vast majority’ of Star Wars fans are respectful.
On social media a few unhealthy people can cast a big shadow on the wall, but over the past 4 years I’ve met lots of real fellow SW fans. We like & dislike stuff but we do it with humor, love & respect. We’re the VAST majority, we’re having fun & doing just fine. https://t.co/yhcShg5vdJ
— Rian Johnson (@rianjohnson) June 5, 2018
However, when he was criticised for his sentiments, one fan implying they were being chastised for by Johnson for voicing their opinions, the gloves came off.
“Done with this disingenuous bullsh*t. You know the difference between not liking a movie and hatefully harassing a woman so bad she has to get off social media. And you know which of those two we’re talking about here,” he replied.
Done with this disingenuous bullshit. You know the difference between not liking a movie and hatefully harassing a woman so bad she has to get off social media. And you know which of those two we’re talking about here.
— Rian Johnson (@rianjohnson) June 5, 2018
For his trouble, Johnson also received a fair bit of abuse (it appears some people are still all upset and cross about the Luke Skywalker business) but lamentably, such is life on the internet.
It’s not the first time that a certain enclave of fans of the sci-fi saga have behaved questionably online.
British actress Daisy Ridley, who plays Rey in the Star Wars movies, quit social media last year after finding herself becoming a target for abuse.
Pleasingly, however, support is still pouring in for Tran online.
Sad to hear about Kelly Marie Tran being bullied off of instagram. She was great in the movie. IMHO, fandom should be about inclusion and sharing the love of something that we passionately care about.
— Masi Oka (@MasiOka) June 5, 2018
Last year I had the distinct pleasure of meeting the beautiful #KellyMarieTran at Star Wars Celebration. You would be hard pressed to find a more genuinely kind & sweet soul. I can assure you that if this is the kind of person you feel the need to harass it is you who is empty. pic.twitter.com/clGZFSe9PT
— Josh Gad (@joshgad) June 5, 2018
To the Star Wars fanbase:
I don't care if you know what the Yuuzhan Vong are, or if you watched the original trilogy on VHS.
If you harassed Kelly Marie Tran for the crime of being an actor in a movie, your fandom means nothing. You being terrible manchildren takes precedence.
— Alex Rochon (@AlexRochonVA) June 5, 2018
It’s no exaggeration to say Kelly Marie Tran’s line in The Last Jedi
"That's how we're gonna win. Not fighting what we hate, saving what we love”
…changed my life.
Be good to each other. Pump up the things you love, don’t destroy the things you hate.
— Alex Zalben (@azalben) June 5, 2018
A quick afternoon #sketch of #RoseTico from #StarWars #TheLastJedi. Drawn in support of actor #KellyMarieTran. Screw the manbabies who harassed her. pic.twitter.com/BF8iUMKsFE
— Kevin Necessary (@knecessary) June 5, 2018
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