Outgoing Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) has officially added “casting director” for Star Wars to his résumé—though it seems he’s taking the role a bit too seriously.
Bowman took to X (formerly Twitter) to declare that if the new Jedi in the just-announced Star Wars trilogy isn’t a Black man, he’s out. And not just out—he’s vowed to denounce the beloved franchise “forever.” Because clearly, that’s what the galaxy far, far away has been missing: Jedi quotas.
Bowman’s post reads like a mix of righteous indignation and playground dramatics: “Y’all not about to make 12 Star Wars and have all white leads for all 12. Y’all wilding… The new Jedi order better be multicultural with a Black super powerful lead. We ain’t playing yall!” Because nothing screams Star Wars fandom like turning a saga about good versus evil into a checklist of racial representation.
Of course, Bowman’s demand comes in response to Lucasfilm’s announcement of Episodes X, XI, and XII, with Simon Kinberg at the helm. While there’s been buzz that Henry Cavill might star in the new trilogy, no official casting decisions have been made yet. But Cavill—an actor who can headline major franchises—is apparently not the kind of leading man Bowman had in mind.
If the lead Jedi is not a Black man I ain’t messing with yall. Yall not about to make 12 Star Wars and have all white leads for all 12. Y’all wilding with that and I hate to say that I would not watch and will spend the rest of my days denouncing this franchise that I have loved… https://t.co/f2duXRwbg9
— Rep. Jamaal Bowman Ed.D. (@JamaalBowmanNY) November 20, 2024
Disney, for its part, has leaned heavily into diversity in its recent projects. From Halle Bailey as Ariel in The Little Mermaid to the upcoming Snow White starring Rachel Zegler, the House of Mouse has been busy ticking every DEI box. But evidently, that’s not enough for Bowman, who seems to think the only way to truly save the galaxy is with a Black Jedi front and center. Forget plot, characters, or continuity—representation is the real Force, apparently.
This all comes as Bowman, a member of the far-left “Squad,” prepares to leave Congress after losing his primary to a more moderate Democrat, George Latimer. It’s ironic, really. Bowman’s fiery rhetoric might work on social media, but it didn’t resonate with the voters who showed him the door in June. Maybe he thinks Hollywood will be more receptive to his brand of activism than his former constituents.
Naturally, X had a field day with Bowman’s post:
You going to go to the theater and pull the fire alarm?
— Michael J. Morrison (@OfficeOfMike) November 20, 2024
He should be apart of the galatic senate and sneak out of the session when the new emperor is talking and pull the fire alarm.
I bet it would be a huge hit lmfao— Doc Venom (@DocV911) November 20, 2024
The lead should actually be a nonbinary trans demisexual black indigenous blind obese woman of color with xe/zir pronouns, you bigot.
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) November 21, 2024
Let’s be real: Star Wars fans aren’t asking for lectures on diversity from an outgoing congressman who made headlines last year for pulling a fire alarm in Congress. They just want a good story—a cohesive one, ideally, after the scattershot mess of the last trilogy. If Bowman truly loved the franchise as much as he claims, he might realize that what matters most isn’t the color of a Jedi’s skin, but whether the movies can bring fans together rather than dividing them.
