I think Star Wars was the start of the expensive special effects that gained popularity in movies throughout the 80s and onward. It’s no surprise that Star Wars is pushing special effects actors.
It will get cheaper in time, soon the studios will just hire writers, directors, editors, and lease digital actors from someone like LucasFilms. No more high school educated morons lecturing us, no more Oscars and constant award ceremonies, just computer generated and tweaked actors.
This has really scared them about their future. The know it alls that just laugh at flyover country are now getting a taste of being automated out of a job.