Simon Pegg says ‘Star Wars’ fans are ‘the most toxic’

The New York Daily News - 7/23/2022

Simon Pegg has had enough of this galaxy, ”Star Wars” fans.

The 52-year-old “Hot Fuzz” star, who had a role in “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” during his appearance this week on SiriusXM’s “Jim and Sam Show” that the decades-long franchise’s massive community of fans “really seems to be the most kind of toxic at the moment.

“I’m probably being very controversial to say that,” continued Pegg, who also starred in the “Star Trek” films, and noted that that franchise’s fans “have always been very, very inclusive,” as it’s built on promoting and embracing diversity.

Pegg admitted to having made problematic comments related to Jar Jar Binks’ character in the “Phantom Menace” prequel, a polarizing role played by Ahmed Best, who a remorseful Pegg said was “getting a lot of flack” and “suffered.”

Though he’s since apologized for those remarks, the Brit said that he does “feel terrible about being part of that.”

“Star Wars” was almost exclusively a white property until more recent installments, which saw racist cyber bullies targeting Kelly Marie Tran — who is Asian-American and played Rose Tico in “The Last Jedi” and “The Rise of Skywalker” — and more recently, Moses Ingram — who is Black and plays Inquisitor Reva in the Disney+ “Obi-Wan Kenobi” miniseries.