Introducing the Cast of The Acolyte

The celebrities of the most recent Star Wars live-action collection are right here to inform you all about your latest fan-favorite characters.

We’ve solely simply begun to unravel the mysteries on the coronary heart of The Acolyte.

Within the two-episode premiere, now streaming on Disney+, the sunshine of the Jedi is being extinguished by a crafty murderer on the lookout for revenge. To have fun the collection debut, StarWars.com invited the solid to introduce themselves and their characters. “I acquired my first selection for everyone,” creator and showrunner Leslye Headland has mentioned of the ensemble solid.

And now you’ll be able to meet the most recent heroes and outlaws within the Star Wars galaxy, from the mystifying Mae to stalwart Jedi Grasp Sol.

Amandla Stenberg – Mae

Star Amandla Stenberg performs the murderer Mae, the mysterious masked warrior who’s out for revenge towards the Jedi Order. 

For Mae, “loyalty to her household is crucial factor on this planet to her,” Stenberg says. “She’s spent her life creating a kind of masterful talent.”

Behind the scenes, Stenberg put within the work on the bodily coaching that was important to carry this character to life. Weeks earlier than she realized the primary combat choreography for the noodle bar sequence, Stenberg was within the stunt gymnasium, studying the fundamentals for the bodily demanding function.

Lee Jung-jae – Jedi Grasp Sol

Emmy-winner Lee Jung-jae brings super compassion to the function of Jedi Grasp Sol, whose deep sense of empathy drives his life’s work as a guardian of peace, appearing to guard those that can not defend themselves. “Grasp Sol may be very highly effective within the Power and nicely revered by his friends,” the actor says. “He is additionally extremely warm-hearted.”

Getting solid was a dream come true for the longtime fan. “I can’t overlook the primary time I noticed Star Wars within the theater,” Lee says. “The shock, the strain, and the emotion. Actually, I can’t imagine I performed a component in Star Wars. I’m nonetheless making an attempt to be cool about it.”

Manny Jacinto – Qimir

Headland wrote the character of Qimir with actor Manny Jacinto in thoughts. “It’s actually onerous to imagine,” he says. “The truth that Leslye considered me for this function is…it’s unreal. I simply really feel extremely fortunate. I continually get pinch-me moments, even to this present day. I don’t assume it’s ever actually stopped. The primary time I stepped on set — simply trying round on the units, all of the backgrounds, and the props — I saved repeating, ‘Oh my gosh, we’re doing Star Wars.’”

Once we meet Jacinto’s character at an apothecary on Olega, he’s already frolicked as a smuggler and dealer, within the model of the scoundrel Han Solo earlier than him. “He spends his time within the apothecary, possibly ingesting somewhat an excessive amount of, possibly sleeping somewhat an excessive amount of,” Jacinto says. “He would not actually have any kind of ambitions. He’s principally simply looking for his approach and finally ends up being reluctantly pulled into this mission with Mae and her Grasp.”

Carrie-Anne Moss – Jedi Grasp Indara

As Jedi Grasp Indara, Carrie-Anne Moss embodies a robust Jedi who’s each expert in fight and instructions respect. “She’s fairly fierce and really, very sturdy together with her talents and her humanity,” Moss says. “I really like taking part in her. I sort of work from the within out. It is onerous to clarify what she is from the skin.”

Moss educated for the function for about three weeks main into manufacturing, getting ready for the motion and stunt fight, together with the combat between Indara and Mae glimpsed within the trailer. “I beloved it. It is difficult, you recognize, your physique hurts, however you adore it,” she says.

Charlie Barnett – Jedi Knight Yord Fandar

Actor Charlie Barnett is a longtime fan of the Star Wars galaxy, with a deep appreciation for Lucasfilm Animation’s storytelling in Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars: The Dangerous Batch. In Yord Fandar, he introduces a by-the-sacred-Jedi-texts sort of disciple who’s devoted to the Order he serves and the beliefs of the Excessive Republic. “He’s a dedicated Jedi Knight, invested into the Council, the Republic, and the ahead motion of peace and justice,” Barnett says. “He’s one of many Jedi that lives in a black-and-white sort of world. I typically considered him as an individual on a police pressure who’s so overcommitted to their job and justice that they don’t really see the degrees or layers of justice that really exist.”

Yord follows the letter of the regulation, a side of his persona that’s instantly obvious from his meticulous look and recently-pressed Jedi robes. “It’s in regards to the guidelines and the construction. He has no house for the uncontrolled and I feel it’s, in a approach, his response to making an attempt to regulate his personal existence and the world round him.”

Dafne Eager – Padawan Jecki Lon

Like Yord, Dafne Eager’s Padawan Jecki Lon, a half Theelin and half human, adheres to a inflexible understanding of the Jedi Order’s perception system. Jecki is dedicated to implementing the principles as wanted as she embarks on her first mission away from the Temple on Coruscant. “Jecki Lon is a younger, devoted Padawan who’s very proficient and smart past her years,” Eager says. “I really like Jecki. I really like how a lot she grows within the present. She begins off as actually inflexible and rule-prone. I feel what makes her an ideal Jedi is her capability to be taught and to develop. She’s intelligent.”

Being solid within the function additionally afforded Eager the prospect to work alongside Jecki’s on-screen Grasp, Lee Jung-jae as Grasp Sol. “I acquired to hang around with Lee Jung-jae who’s the Grasp himself,” she says.

“Actually a grasp in some ways,” provides Barnett. “Not solely a Jedi Grasp, an appearing grasp, a soul grasp.”

“A life grasp,” says Eager.

Rebecca Henderson – Jedi Grasp Vernestra Rwoh

Followers of the Star Wars: The Excessive Republic books and comics will acknowledge the Mirialan Jedi from her youth, however actor Rebecca Henderson’s tackle the character was additionally impressed by different stars of the silver display screen, together with Meryl Streep’s flip in The Satan Wears Prada. “Once I started to fantasize about who Vernestra Rwoh was at this level in her life, I checked out numerous older, revered actresses and their performances on this planet of cinema,” Henderson says. The actor additionally labored with two motion coaches to carry a stage of gravitas to her efficiency. “It was actually vital that you may see that there was a lot happening inside her, however that she could not actually present it,” Henderson provides. “When Vernestra is talking, she will be able to see behind her, above her, under her, and throughout her. I labored with that sort of power, which simply introduced me out of Rebecca and into this very particular older being.”

Once we meet this incarnation of Grasp Rwoh, she’s an elder on the Jedi Temple on Coruscant. “Vernestra is a revered Jedi Grasp who’s over 100 years previous. She’s simply been round for thus lengthy that I feel she has seen a lot,” she provides. Henderson instantly fell in love with Vernestra’s character on the web page. “Once I was studying the scripts and I noticed the phrase Vernestra I used to be like, ‘Who is that this?’ I beloved her first line. I beloved her first scene. I really like Vernestra greater than any half I’ve ever performed, for positive.”

Dean-Charles Chapman – Jedi Grasp Torbin

Because the mysterious Jedi Grasp Torbin, actor Dean-Charles Chapman hopes that followers will acknowledge one key component to his character: “He’s kind-hearted.”

Stationed at a Jedi outpost on the world of Olega, followers have but to find a lot of Torbin’s story, however Chapman is worked up for the collection to unfold. “It is a very heavy motion present, blended with thriller, suspense, and the thriller facet of the present,” he says. “Motion is a driving pressure.”

Joonas Suotamo – Jedi Grasp Kelnacca

Joona Suotamo has been part of the Star Wars galaxy since he was first solid as Chewbacca, Han Solo’s Wookiee co-pilot initially performed by the late Peter Mayhew, starting with the sequel trilogy and Solo: A Star Wars Story. However the Jedi Grasp Kelnacca gave Suotamo the prospect to assist construct a brand new beloved character whereas difficult himself as a performer.

“Once I first heard about this I noticed that it was not going to be my typical Star Wars factor,” Suotamo says. “I couldn’t wait to check myself and see what sort of lengths I may go to on this new function. Once I realized that it was going to be involving Kelnacca, who occurs to be a Jedi, I used to be instantly excited. That drew me in and I knew that there was some enjoyable available with this function.”

The half provides Suotamo the prospect to put on Jedi robes and carry his first lightsaber. “We’ve by no means seen a Wookiee Jedi on display screen,” Suotamo says. “And that instantly sparked my creativeness. How does he behave? What has he realized throughout coaching to be a Jedi? And the way does he carry himself? Kelnacca is a really calm however fierce Jedi who you don’t need to mess with.”

Jodie Turner-Smith – Mom Aniseya

Though we have now but to satisfy Jodie Turner-Smith’s Mom Aniseya on display screen, early glimpses within the trailer present a hanging determine who’s equal components energy and charm. “She is fiercely protecting of her household, her coven, her youngsters, and she or he is doing her finest to protect their lifestyle,” Turner-Smith says. The actor beforehand labored with episodic director Kogonada on the movie After Yang, which impressed him to think about her for the half, she says. “He had thought lots about conversations that we would had after we had been selling our first movie. It was shortly after I would had my daughter and I used to be simply nonetheless so near the method of birthing and turning into a brand new mother,” she recollects. “So, he known as me and he mentioned he actually felt like this character could be excellent for me to play.”

Turner-Smith was instantly drawn to the regal nature of the Power-wielding witch. “He mentioned, ‘She’s a robust witch mom.’ And I used to be like, ‘Say much less,’” Turner-Smith recollects. “I acquired to actually start Mom Aniseya and Leslye [Headland] is such a collaborative individual. Her pleasure is contagious and she or he’s created one thing the place the writing was so good, the characters had been so thoughtfully and nicely drawn, and I used to be going to be within the arms of one in all my favourite administrators I’ve ever labored with. So I used to be in. I used to be in, all the best way.”

Watch Star Wars: The Acolyte, with new episodes every Tuesday on Disney+.