In all of Star Wars - heck, all of entertainment - there may be no one more universally loathed than Jar Jar Binks, the bumblin' Gungan first introduced in Episode I - The Phantom Menace. Jamie Stangroom, host of the YouTube series These Are The Actors You're Looking For, recently caught up with the man behind Jar Jar: Ahmed Best.
The role was a major shift for Best, who was more experienced with stage than film, and had most recently been part of a Stomp tour. That physicality was the reason Best was hired, as (much like Darth Vader in the original trilogy) it was planned for a different actor to give Jar Jar a voice. That might've been for the best, because then maybe the backlash wouldn't have hit Best quite so hard.
"Even though you play characters, you put a lot of your own personality into it, and you get emotionally and personally invested in the work that you do," Best told Stangroom. "It’s your work and you take pride in your work, like anything. So when your work is criticized negatively, you feel a little bit of a hit."
The whole interview is worth a watch for all the trivia you might not have known about the goofy sidekick-turned-Senator, including mention of an apology to Best over a lewd lollipop and Best's brief confrontation with another star who lobbied for the role: Michael Jackson. Me-sa bet dat was awkward.
Seen something newsworthy? Tell us!
