Acolyte’s Amandla Stenberg Responds to Fan Bigotry After Cancellation

The buzz surrounding The Acolyte continues even after its cancellation following just one season. Although the show received favorable reviews from critics, it was widely criticized by viewers globally. Amid such contrasting reactions, lead actress Amandla Stenberg has shared her thoughts on why the series was canceled.

Amandla Stenberg attributes the failure of The Acolyte to hyper-conservative bigotry and harsh criticism from viewers.

The Darkest Minds star recently used her Instagram stories to share her perspective on the show’s cancellation. “I’m going to be transparent and say it’s not a huge shock for me. There has been a rampage of vitriol that we have faced since the show was even announced, when it was still just a concept and no one had even seen it,” Stenberg explained. “That’s when we started experiencing a rampage of, I would say, hyper-conservative bigotry and vitriol, prejudice, hatred, and hateful language towards us.”

The backlash took a toll on her, according to Variety. “This really affected me when I first got the job,” the 25-year-old star revealed. “Because it’s not something you can fully understand what it feels like until it’s happening to you.” Despite this, Stenberg expressed gratitude for the opportunity to star in The Acolyte. She also thanked everyone who supported the show during its short-lived run, stating their support made the experience meaningful for her.

Besides Amandla Stenberg, The Acolyte featured Lee Jung-jae, Manny Jacinto, and Dafne Keen in key roles. The series currently holds a 78% score on Rotten Tomatoes from critics, contrasted with an 18% rating from audiences. Negative fan reviews and declining viewership led to the show’s cancellation after just one season.