New Star Wars director Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy has come under fire for comments she made about men during a panel for Women in the World.
Alongside Meryl Streep and Ava DuVernay, Obaid-Chinoy spoke with master of ceremonies Jon Stewart during the conversation when the comments arose.
Obaid-Chinoy is set to helm the next instalment in the Star Wars franchise named New Jedi Order which will be led by the female character Rey (Daisy Ridley).
The Pakistani-Canadian filmmaker is the first woman and first person of colour to direct a film for the sci-fi franchise.
The panel discussion that has landed her in hot water was shared to the Women in the World YouTube channel back in April 2015 but has since gone viral following conservative commentator Matt Walsh sharing it on X, formerly Twitter.
In a snippet from the panel, Stewart asks Obaid-Chinoy: "What is the balance of activating a force for change but also trying to permeate that patriarchy, that power structure?
Daisy Ridley with new Star Wars director Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy
GETTY
"And is that a part of the calculation on your part as well and what's been the reaction to that?"
"I like to make men uncomfortable. I enjoy making men uncomfortable," Obaid-Chinoy says to laughter and applause before she refers to Stewart directly.
"Not you, not you!" Obaid-Chinoy adds with a giggle as Stewart concedes: "Point taken, point taken."
She attempts to clarify: "But, you know, it is important to be able to look into the eyes of a man and say, 'I am here, and recognise that!'
"'Recognise that I am working to bring something that makes you uncomfortable, and it should make you uncomfortable because you need to change your attitude.'
"It is only when you are uncomfortable, when you're shifty, when you have to have difficult conversations that you will perhaps look at yourself in the mirror and not like the reflection.
"Then (you may) say, 'Maybe, there is something wrong with the way I think or maybe there is something wrong with the way I address this issue'."
Walsh's accompanying caption to Obaid-Chinoy's remarks on X read: "Here’s the feminist director of the next Star Wars film saying that her goal is to 'make men uncomfortable.' This movie is destined to be Disney’s biggest flop yet."
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
- BBC The Traitors fans beg for major format change as they slam 'predictable' twist in divisive series opener
- Mr Bates vs The Post Office's Paula Vennells star makes feelings clear on disgraced CEO: 'She's fascinating!'
- ITV Jeopardy! viewers vow 'never watching again' as they turn off 'boring' and 'awful' Stephen Fry quiz show
Star Wars director Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy on the panel with Meryl Streep and Ava DuVernay
GETTY
And it's a fear held by a number of his followers and Star Wars fans who echoed their dismay at the prospect of Star Wars going woke.
"Why does everything have to be a political statement nowadays?" one follower questioned.
A second added: "If her mission is to make me uncomfortable, then she has already failed because there's absolutely no chance that I'll actually be sitting through her movie. In fact it's quite likely that I will be far MORE comfortable by skipping it."
While a third's damning verdict read: "So Star Wars has finished, duly noted. Crash and burn like the rest." (sic)
