‘Star Wars Resistance’ Actress Under Fire for Video Imitating Dr. Blasey Ford

It looks like one member of the Star Wars universe has courted a bit of controversy today.Rachel […]

October 2, 2018, 3:19pm

It looks like one member of the Star Wars universe has courted a bit of controversy today.

Videos by ComicBook.com

Rachel Butera, who voices General Leia Organa on the forthcoming Star Wars Resistance animated series, recently came under fire for a video she posted on Twitter. In the video, she attempts to imitate the voice of Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, who testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee today about her assault allegations against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.

“I don’t know if anybody is listening to the Dr. Blasey Ford testimony about Brett Kavanaugh, but this is how I sound.” Butera says in the video, which you can check out above (via io9). “I know it’s a surprise to even me that I talk this way and I’m a doctor and a grown woman. I sound like I’m still back at that high school party…um…I can’t help it, I just have this kind of a voice like a baby, even though I’m a doctor. And I’m on this media circus, political stage, and I have kids myself. I don’t know why I speak with vocal fry, um, but you can listen to my testimony and hear that a grown woman sounds this way. Dr. Blasey Ford, thank you.”

Butera deleted the video about half an hour after it was posted, but has still received quite a lot of backlash from people online. As people were quick to point out, the video came across as mocking Blasey Ford, both by referencing “that high school party” where the assault allegedly occurred, and by pointing out her “vocal fry”, a vocal pattern that women often get made fun of for.

Butera has since tweeted an apology, which says “I was by no means mocking a rape victim I am 100% on Christine Blasy Ford’s side! I am just a vocal impressionist and decided to imitate her voice but it was a mistake. I apologize and a I believe ALl women [sic].”