‘Star Wars’ Actress Kelly Marie Tran Wipes Her Instagram Page After Attacks From ‘Last Jedi’ Trolls
Internet trolls have reportedly driven Kelly Marie Tran off Instagram, reveals the Hollywood Reporter.
The 29-year-old actress, who played Rose Tico in last year’s Star Wars: The Last Jedi, has deleted all her Instagram posts, and the reason seems to be connected with the months-long abuse she has received from so-called “fans” of the sci-fi franchise, reports the media outlet.
The Business Insider backs up the story, showing that Tran is not the first Star Wars actress to quit social media due to unwelcomed reactions from some of the fandom.
Since the release of The Last Jedi, the actress has been bombarded with numerous sexist and racist comments from Star Wars fans who didn’t appreciate her Rose character. After months of harassment from the franchise’s alleged fans, Tran ended up leaving Instagram but not before deleting all her posts on the social media platform.
Trans’ Instagram page is still visible, along with the actress’s inspiring bio line, “Afraid, but doing it anyway.” But the social media page has been wiped clean of all previous posts, Star Wars Facts, the popular but unofficial Star Wars Twitter page, announced on June 5.
“Kelly Marie Tran has deleted all the posts off her Instagram due to months of harassment she has received for her character Rose,” the Twitter account posted on Tuesday morning.
Kelly Marie Tran has deleted all the posts off her Instagram due to months of harassment she has received for her character Rose in #TheLastJedi pic.twitter.com/ipxdbDH30C
— Star Wars Facts & News (@StarWarsInteI) June 5, 2018
Although the actress hasn’t publicly commented on her reasons for leaving Instagram, the Last Jedi director Rian Johnson tweeted on the fan abuse that allegedly drove Tran off the social media platform.
Johnson acknowledged that the Star Wars franchise has a number of toxic fans but reminded everyone that not all the fandom is equally vicious.
“On social media a few unhealthy people can cast a big shadow on the wall, but over the past four years I’ve met lots of real fellow SW fans,” Johnson wrote on Twitter.
“We like and dislike stuff but we do it with humor, love and respect. We’re the VAST majority,” noted the Last Jedi director.
On social media a few unhealthy people can cast a big shadow on the wall, but over the past 4 years I’ve met lots of real fellow SW fans. We like & dislike stuff but we do it with humor, love & respect. We’re the VAST majority, we’re having fun & doing just fine. https://t.co/yhcShg5vdJ
— Rian Johnson (@rianjohnson) June 5, 2018
At the same time, American author and comic book writer Chuck Wendig rose to Tran’s defense, tweeting that the abuse she has seen from Star Wars fans “is infuriating.”
Wendig, who noted that he adores Tran’s bio line on Instagram, wrote that the actress “is a force for light and joy” and doesn’t deserve such poor treatment.
Kelly Marie Tran's quote on her Instagram page — "Afraid, but doing it anyway. ?" is a thing I adore without reserve. She is a force for light and joy and unabashed engagement with the things you love, and to think of the harassment she's received is infuriating.
— Chuck Wendig (@ChuckWendig) June 5, 2018
According to Business Insider, Tran faced racist and sexist comments online after someone edited the Rose Tico Wookieepedia page, changing the character’s name to “Ching Chong Wing Tong” and Rose’s home to “Ching Chong China.”
Actress Daisy Ridley, who plays Rey in the new Star Wars trilogy, has also quit Instagram following criticism from fans. Ridley deleted her Instagram account in 2016 after social media followers criticized her for her appearance and her stance on gun control.
“I posted a thing about gun regulations, because I was at an event in tribute to the Orlando shooting at Pulse. People weren’t nice about how I looked. And I was like, ‘I’m out.’ Simple as that. That is not what I signed up for,” Ridley said in a December 2017 interview with Glamour.
