Invoke the name to any hardcoreStar Warsfan and then step back to see the explosion.
No one is neutral.
Opinions on the character ran hot after hisStar Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menacedebut 25 years ago.
Ahmed Best and ‘Star Wars’ character Jar Jar BinksDaniel Boczarski / FilmMagic / Getty Images / The Everett Collection
Best spoke toPeopleabout the role.
Not all of his memories were fond.
Everybody came for me, he recalled.
he won both the physical role and the voice.
This was the first time I was going to do the Jar Jar voice in front of people.
I was like, I might do it, I might not.
Do I not do this voice?
What do I do?
Liam has this wonderfully resonant Irish, Mid-Atlantic voice that will just melt you.
You know what Im saying?
So I was just like, Everybody sounds so good.
Am I going to do this voice or not?
And then I see the character name coming up and I was like, F it.
And I just do it.
And everybody in the room goes crazy for it.
So I was like, OK, all right.
I got that one out.
Im supposed to be here now.'
He got along well with everyone along the way.
Everybody was respected, and nobody was bigger than the work, Best recalls of filming in England.
And I think that was the ethos that we took into doing the prequels.
Star Wars is always going to be the thing.
Thats the thing were working towards.
Were not going to be stars above Star Wars.
Theres nothing bigger than Star Wars.
And I think thats what made our cast really, really special.
The cast was in our little bubble while filming, he said.
It was already being talked about even before the movie dropped.
The online hate only grew after the release of the film in May 1999.
It really wasnt easy, he recalls of the backlash.
I was very young.
All of these years youre just like, I belong at the top of the game.
I belong at the highest level.
And then all of a sudden people pull the rug out from under you.
And I was just like, What is happening now?
My career began and ended.
Especially with the internet component.
Now theres an entire field of psychology based on it.
But at the time, what do I say to a psychologist?
I just tried to do the best job that I could do.
But George [Lucas] is untouchable and everybody was untouchable.
Everyone came at me.
Best previously admitted he contemplated taking his own life during an early morning on the Brooklyn Bridge.
I didnt want to hurt my family like that, Best now shares.
So it was something bigger than me that made me walk away.
I still was lost.
I still couldnt find my footing, and I just felt the injustice of it all.
How could I have achieved such a wonderful thing, and then nothing?
I was longing to continue.
I wanted to continue this work.
I wanted to continue moving in this direction and seeing what the CGI thing could turn into.
Casting directors often thought the Jar Jar character was computer generated, and Best had to fight against that.
I was carrying this weight that it was just hard to shake.
Best says Jar JarsStar Warsrole diminished and disappeared in the two prequels that followed specifically 2005sRevenge of the Sith.
After all, But like many fans, he hopes to eventually find out about Jar Jars fate.
And then I dont think it needs to be tragic, Best says.
Best has turned out okay after all tat.
Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menaceis now playing theaters ahead of its 25th anniversary on May 19.
