George Lucas' favoriteStar Warscharacter is actually one of the most controversial, one who was originally subject to a massive backlash. George Lucas is undoubtedly one of the greatest creators of all time, a genius who dreamed up an entire galaxy. 28 years later, we’ll still playing in his sandbox.
Everyone has their own opinion on thebestStar Warscharacters. Darth Vader is a legend, Yoda’s legacy continues to this day through Grogu, and who can forget Luke and Leia? But Lucas harbors a particular love for the prequels, where his own creative impulses were relatively unchecked. And his favorite character is a surprise.
George Lucas Revealed His Favorite Star Wars Character Six Years Ago
He Made A Surprising Choice
Speaking at a fan event marking the 20th anniversary ofStar Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace(via theBBC), Lucas confirmed this is “one of my favorite movies.” He then added, “of courseJar Jar is my favorite character.”
Lucas singled out Ahmed Best, who played the character, for particular praise. “Ahmed, you did a fantastic job,” Lucas continued, remembering a vocal backlash against the Gungan at the time of the movies' release. “It was very, very hard.”
Other stars ofThe Phantom Menaceaired their love for Best and his character during the movie’s 25th anniversary celebrations last year. “Ahmed was so funny and inventive,” Liam Neeson recalled in an interview withEmpire. “Myself and Ewan [McGregor] were personally hurt and offended by the critical reaction to the character.”
The Mandalorian Offered Him Another Shot
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Ahmed Best returned toStar Warsas Jedi Master Kelleran Beq, a prequel era Jedi who was featured in theStar Wars: Jedi Temple ChallengeYouTube gameshow back in 2020. What nobody expected, though, was for Kelleran Beq to actually make his way to the small screen.
Kelleran Beq appeared inThe Mandalorianseason 3, in flashback scenes that revealed he was the Jedi Master who rescued Grogu from Order 66 during the events ofStar Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith. Beq’s story has yet to be told, but - appropriately enough -there were subtle hints he’s tied to the Naboo.
This was portrayed as a redemption for Ahmed Best, but I can’t help thinking the opposite is the case; that, because of the wayStar Warsfans treated him back in 1999, this is actually the franchise’s redemption. Still, Best can at least be pleased to know he’s always playedGeorge Lucas' favorite character.
