Ewan McGregor takes on trolls for racially abusing Obi-Wan Kenobi co-star Moses Ingram: ‘You’re no Star Wars fan’. Watch

Star Wars’ new spin-off limited series Obi-Wan Kenobi premiered on Disney+ last week. While the series brings back two fan favourites–Ewan McGregor as Obi-Wan and Hayden Christensen as Darth Vader–it also introduces new characters. One of them is the show’s primary antagonist–an Inquistor named Reva played by Moses Ingram. However, since the release of the first two episodes, many internet users–apparently unhappy with her casting–have attacked Moses online, subjecting her to racist taunts and abuses. Also read: Exclusive: Obi-Wan Kenobi’s Moses Ingram says people cried watching Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensen together again

Now, the show’s star Ewan McGregor has come out in support of his co-star, attacking those racially abusing her. In a video message shared by the Star Wars official Twitter account on Wednesday morning, Ewan can be seen in his car as he says, “This weekend, Star Wars fans made Obi-Wan Kenobi the most-watched Disney+ original series premiere of all time. And for that, I would say a big thank you, and it goes to show what this family can do when we all pull together. However, it seems that some of the fanbase have decided to attack Moses Ingram online and send her the most hateful, horrendous DMs, and I heard some of them this morning and it just broke my heart.”

Throwing his weight behind the 29-year-old Emmy-nominated actor, Ewan adds, “Moses is a brilliant actor, she’s a brilliant woman, and she’s absolutely amazing in this series. She brings so much to the series, so much to the franchise, and it just sickened me to my stomach to hear that this had been happening. I just want to say as the leading actor in the series, as the executive producer on the series, that we stand with Moses. We love Moses. And if you’re sending her bullying messages you’re no Star Wars fan in my mind. There’s no place for racism in this world. And I totally stand with Moses.”

The statement echoed the sentiment in Star Wars’ official statement on the matter. In a tweet shared late Tuesday night, the statement read, “We are proud to welcome Moses Ingram to the Star Wars family and excited for Reva’s story to unfold. If anyone intends to make her feel in any way unwelcome, we have only one thing to say: we resist. There are more than 20 million sentient species in the Star Wars galaxy, don’t choose to be a racist.”

Obi-Wan Kenobi is set ten years after the events of Star Wars Episode II: Revenge of the Sith (2005) and sees Ewan and Hayden return to their iconic characters after 17 years. The series follows Obi-Wan attempting to rescue a young Princess Leia as the Galactic Empire’s Inquisitors are after them.

Speaking with Hindustan Times prior to the show’s release, Moses had spoken about the chance to play a Star Wars villain. “I think it’s important. I think all of the archetypes should have a reflection of the world we live in. And in the world we live in, there are all kinds of people who do all kinds of things. And it makes it fun. It’s fun to be bad. So we should give everyone an opportunity to play the roles that are fun, and I’m glad that I get to,” she had said.