Jar Jar Binks actor Ahmed Best has revealed he was contemplating suicide as he weathered an intense backlash against his Star Wars persona.
Best, 49, said he considered jumping off the Brooklyn Bridge after his character – which he debuted in 1999’s The Phantom Menace – became one of the most reviled characters in history .
Following the character’s debut, Best began to receive death threats, his number being leaked and trolls constantly calling his answering machine – with the star saying: “That was the lowest I’ve been in my life. life.”
Talk to The GuardianBest said he found himself “one foggy night at 3 a.m. clinging to the edge of the Brooklyn Bridge, 120 feet above the water.”
His thoughts were, “I’m going to show you all. I’ll show you what you do to me.
Harrowing: Jar Jar Binks actor Ahmed Best has revealed he was contemplating suicide as he weathered an intense backlash against his Star Wars character (pictured as Beq in The Mandalorian)
Backlash: Best, 49, said he considered jumping off the Brooklyn Bridge after his character – which he debuted in 1999’s The Phantom Menace – became one of the most reviled characters in the world ‘history
“And when I’m gone, you’ll feel exactly what I went through.”
Best said he reached his “lowest point” after the character was accused of enforcing “blatant Hollywood racial stereotyping”, which Best and everyone involved in developing Jar Jar Binks denied. .
Best, who is proud of his African heritage, said it was this accusation that he had been “exploited” that forced him to contemplate suicide.
He remembers a strong gust of wind forcing him to hold on to the bridge and that’s when he realized he wanted to live.
The star said he crawled on a beam saying: ‘That was terrifying – just terrifying’ before heading home.
Fans saw Jar Jar Binks’ role go from prominent in Episode I – The Phantom Menace to a mere one-line appearance in Episode III – Revenge of the Sith.
In 2018, Best first revealed that he contemplated suicide after portraying the character.
“20 next year faced a media backlash that still affects my career today,” the Stomp alum wrote in 2018 alongside a photo at the Brooklyn Bridge with his son.
Battle: Following the character’s debut, Best began receiving death threats, with his number leaked and trolls constantly calling his answering machine – with the star saying: ‘That was the lowest I’ve ever been summer of my life” (photo 2018)
Horrible: Best said he hit his ‘lowest point’ after the character was accused of enforcing ‘blatant Hollywood racial stereotyping’ which Best and everyone involved in developing Jar Jar Binks have denied
“That’s where I almost ended my life. It’s always hard to talk about it.
Best thought he had found the role of his life when George Lucas cast him as Naboo’s military commander and politician, but he ended up receiving “death threats”.
Fatherhood best credited with lifting spirits after career misfortunes. He has a son, Marley.
“I survived and now this little guy is my gift for survival,” Best said.
Best recently played Jedi Kelleran Beq in the third season of The Mandalorian – though he vowed never to return to the Star Wars universe on the podcast These Are the Actors You’re Looking For.
“I think I did my wrong. I’m fine with my position in the Star Wars universe,’ he revealed.
‘I would say no. I think I did what I did, I thought it was great, it was fun, but now it’s time to move on.
He said he was initially very surprised by all the hate directed at the clumsy Gungan when he was unveiled as part of the Star Wars universe in 1999, and he couldn’t help but comment. take it personally.
In 2018, Best first revealed that he contemplated suicide after portraying the character.
“Even though you’re playing characters, you put a lot of your own personality into it, you invest yourself emotionally and personally in the work that you do, it’s your job and you’re proud of it,” he said. “So when your work is negatively criticized, you feel touched.”
He suggested that amid all the vitriol, Jar Jar was denied credit for pioneering the more popular CGI characters that followed him.
“It didn’t put me off Star Wars, but yeah, it was painful. I mean, that character for me and one of the main reasons I took was because of how challenging he was – there was no Andy Serkis and Gollum, Navi from Avatar.
“I had to be the model for that, so I was working with George a bit to pioneer this new form of character acting and storytelling. On set, we were all so focused, not on the challenge and having so much fun that the post-Star Wars stuff was a surprise.
