Ahmed Best's acting career was another victim of the "Star Wars" prequel trilogy. Best played Jar Jar Binks in the franchise, which he said felt "like a success and a failure at the exact same time," per Wired. "I was staring at the end of my career before it started," he added. "Star Wars" creator George Lucas told best to wait it out, that people needed time to appreciate the character of Jar Jar, but popular opinion never changed. "I had people come to me and say, 'You destroyed my childhood.' That's difficult for a 25-year-old to hear," Best recalled.
After the films, Best struggled to find meaningful acting jobs beyond some work that he wasn't particularly "proud of" and was "just to pay the bills." Perhaps this is what led him back into the "Star Wars" fold, where he lent his voice — or more accurately, Jar Jar's voice — to a series of video games and "The Clone Wars" animated series.
There's no doubt that severe critical backlash dampened Best's career prospects, but the actor only revealed the true extent of the situation in 2018. "20 years next year I faced a media backlash that still affects my career today," Best said on Twitter. "I almost ended my life. ... [but] I survived and now this little guy is my gift for survival," he wrote alongside a picture of himself and his son, which shows he's in a much better place these days.
If you or anyone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
(Source: nickiswift)
