‘Star Wars Resistance’ voice actress gets slammed for imitating Christine Blasey Ford

Christine Blasey Ford’s testimony to the Senate Judiciary Committee has captivated the country, but it’s also been met with derision and pushback. In one case, an actress’ imitation of Ford has been interpreted by many as mockery.

Voice actress Rachel Butera portrays Leia Organa on Star Wars Resistance, Disney’s upcoming animated prequel to The Force Awakens, and fans heard her for the first time in a trailer released Thursday afternoon. But for a short time, they also heard her doing an imitation of Ford.

Ford’s voice shook as she read her opening statement before the committee—which recounted the night she says Brett Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her, as well as the effects it had on her for decades—and endured several hours of questions from the Senate Judiciary Committee.

“I can’t believe this is my voice, can you??? Dr. Christine Blasey-Vocal Fry-Ford,” Butera wrote in the now-deleted tweet. 


Her video was immediately met with outrage from people who saw it as mocking Ford and her story. Some called for Disney and Lucasfilm to recast Butera’s role.

Butera deleted the video shortly after posting it and receiving backlash from fans, but a version of it was uploaded by SYFY Wire’s Courtney Enlow. Others circulated on Twitter.

The Daily Dot has reached out to Disney and Lucasfilm for comment, and we will update if we hear back.

Butera later said that she was attempting to imitate Ford’s voice and wasn’t trying to mock her.

“I was by no means mocking a rape victim I am 100% on Christine Blasey Ford’s side!” Butera wrote. “I am just a vocal impressionist and decided to imitate her voice but it was a mistake. I apologize a [sic] and I believe ALl women.”

A few minutes later, she added, “I am seriously sorry I honestly didn’t think this would offend anyone I just thought I was imitating the voice.”

‘Star Wars Resistance’ voice actress gets slammed for imitating Christine Blasey Ford
RachelAButera/Twitter

Butera has since made her Twitter account private.

The comment about vocal fry struck a particular nerve. It’s a critique usually reserved for women’s voices, but worse, Butera’s video made light of a sexual assault survivor who became emotional as she told the nation what happened to her. On a day where so many people, especially women, watched a woman relive what happened to her on national television, the video (whether or not it was meant to mock Ford’s voice) was yet another affront to those who have been particularly affected by Ford’s testimony.