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Simon Pegg says 'Star Wars' fanbase is most 'toxic' right now

British actor Simon Pegg poses on the red carpet for the European Premiere of Star Wars: The Last Jedi at the Royal Albert Hall in London on December 12, 2017. (Photo by Daniel LEAL / AFP) (Photo by DANIEL LEAL/AFP via Getty Images)
Simon Pegg has shared his thoughts on Star Wars' fanbase. (AFP via Getty Images)

Simon Pegg has said he thinks Star Wars has the most "toxic" fanbase right now.

The actor was in 2015's Star Wars: The Force Awakens as Unkar Plutt and has appeared in other movie franchises including Mission: Impossible and Star Trek.

And he suggested that fans of the much-loved space opera were the toughest to keep happy.

Read more: Simon Pegg: I quit Twitter because it felt like a war zone

Pegg, 52, was being interviewed on SiriusXM’s Jim and Sam radio show and was asked which franchise's fans were the hardest to please.

He replied: "To be honest - and as someone who kind of was, you know, kicked off about the prequels when they came out, the Star Wars fanbase really seems to be the most kind of toxic at the moment."

Simon Pegg poses for photographers upon arrival at the European premiere of the film 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens ' in London, Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2015. (Photo by Joel Ryan/Invision/AP)
The actor was in Star Wars: The Force Awakens. (Joel Ryan/Invision/AP)

"I’m probably being very controversial to say that," he added.

Pegg admitted he had been involved in it himself as he was one of those who criticised the much-maligned character Jar Jar Binks (played by Ahmed Best) from the Star Wars prequels.

He said he had since said sorry for the comments he made.

Jar Jar Binks (Credit: Lucasfilm/Fox)
The actor apologised for criticising Jar Jar Binks. (Lucasfilm/Fox)

"Because, of course, there was a f****** actor involved," he said.

"He was getting a lot of flack and it wasn't you know, a camp rabbit, it was a human being. And because it got a lot of hate, he suffered, you know, and I feel terrible about being part of that."

The actor said he thought fans of Star Trek, in which he played Montgomery "Scotty" Scott, were more inclusive and that the franchise embraced diversity.

It was "woke from the beginning", he said.

Simon Pegg: 'Star Trek Beyond' failed due to poor marketing
Simon Pegg in Star Trek Beyond. (Paramount)

Pegg went on to say that with Star Wars "suddenly there’s a little bit more diversity and everyone’s kicking off about it".

"And it’s, it’s really sad," he said.

In recent years some Star Wars actors have revealed they have been targeted by fans of the franchise who disagreed with their casting.

Read more: Star Wars: How to watch the movies and TV shows in order

John Boyega has said he experienced racism from fans when he was bagged the part of Finn in the sequels.

And Kelly Marie Tran, who played Rose in the sequels, also faced racist abuse from trolls.

Watch: Simon Pegg quit Twitter when it began to feel like 'a war zone'