Mandalorian’s Ahmed Finest on His Conflicted Return to Star Wars

In case you are conscious Ahmed Best was the movement seize actor behind Jar Jar Binks in The Phantom Menace, you additionally possible know that the actor suffered for portraying what was (and perhaps nonetheless is) probably the most reviled character in Star Wars historical past. And if you realize that, there’s additionally an honest probability that you simply had been delighted by seeing Best in this week’s episode of The Mandalorian, and realizing he lastly had an opportunity to have a constructive expertise within the Star Wars universe—however his look wasn’t a simple determination for him.

Should you don’t know, Finest has talked overtly about his mental health struggles after Star Wars followers castigated him for years as a result of he performed Jar Jar (a lot as his Phantom Menace co-star Jake Lloyd suffered, sadly). So when he was approached to play the Jedi Kelleran Beq—who Finest co-created for the Star Wars sport present Jedi Temple Problem—in Disney+ collection The Mandalorian, he was understandably hesitant. From an interview over at StarWars.com:

“Truthfully, I had to consider it. I’ve been within the Star Wars world for such a very long time and my story is such a rollercoaster trip of feelings. So coming again to Star Wars wasn’t a simple determination for me. It wasn’t one thing I might have instantly stated sure to. I did must marinate over it for a bit. I imply, I used to be excited. I don’t suppose folks actually perceive how a lot I care about Star Wars. Like, I actually care. I actually, actually care in regards to the storytelling, in regards to the mythology, in regards to the followers. I actually need Star Wars to ship, and if I develop into an impediment to that, then I shouldn’t be in it. I don’t need to be greater than the story. I don’t need to be greater than the mythology. I need to contribute, I need to add to it. So it took me a minute.”

I’m by no means going to be a Jar Jar Binks apologist, however I additionally suppose the character got here 100% from George Lucas’ head, or no less than Lucas permitted every thing that went on display. I don’t blame Finest in any respect. So to listen to him say he was apprehensive his look may detract from the franchise is truthfully heartbreaking to me. The concept he would put Star Wars above something, after the franchise took such a toll on him, is simply… astounding.

After greater than 20 years of abuse, nobody ought to faux {that a} visitor look on The Mandalorian makes up for what Star Wars followers put Finest by, regardless of how delighted they could have been now to see him, or whether or not they think about his reappearance as some form of redemption story. However bringing Kellran Beq into the Star Wars canon—and making him a pivotal character in Grogu’s story—is the most effective factor The Mandalorian has achieved in fairly a while. No pun supposed.

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