Dafne Keen Addresses ‘The Acolyte’s Abrupt Cancellation: “I know I’m very proud.”

Dafne Keen, one of the stars of The Acolyte, has spoken about the show’s cancellation. She shared her thoughts at the Saturn Awards, saying she’s proud of her character and her fellow cast members.

The series was unique because it took place during the High Republic Era, about a hundred years before the Skywalker story. But even before it came out, The Acolyte faced backlash.

Some viewers review-bombed it, flooding the internet with negative reactions before they had even seen it. In August last year, Disney officially pulled the plug, making it the first Star Wars series on Disney+ to be canceled.

Keen admitted it was tough news for everyone involved, but she’s grateful for the experience. ‘I think we were all very proud of what we created,’ she told Screen Rant’s Tessa Smith. ‘I was very proud [of my character], I was very proud of how my friend Amandla handled the situation. And honestly, I’m a huge nerd myself, so I was just really happy that I got to play a Jedi. Bucket list ticked.’

For Keen, getting to be a Jedi was a dream come true, even though the show didn’t last. She also praised Amandla Stenberg, who faced an intense backlash. Stenberg had previously spoken out about the racism and sexism she and others experienced from certain parts of the Star Wars community.

From the start, The Acolyte was a hot topic. The first trailer got almost as many dislikes as likes on YouTube. Some people had real complaints about Disney’s handling of Star Wars, while others questioned how the story fit into the established lore.

But there was also a wave of criticism that had nothing to do with storytelling. Some online voices fixated on race and gender, even going so far as to count how many white characters appeared in the trailer. Things got even messier once the show aired.

After the cancellation, Stenberg didn’t hold back. She called out the ‘hyper-conservative, bigotry, vitriol, prejudice, hatred, and hateful language towards us.’ Keen’s comments show she stands by her friend and the work they did together.

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