Introducing the Cast of The Acolyte

The celebrities of the latest Star Wars live-action sequence 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 sequence debut, StarWars.com invited the solid to introduce themselves and their characters. “I received my first selection for everyone,” creator and showrunner Leslye Headland has stated of the ensemble solid.

And now you’ll be able to meet the latest 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 in opposition to the Jedi Order. 

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

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

Lee Jung-jae – Jedi Grasp Sol

Emmy-winner Lee Jung-jae brings large 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’t defend themselves. “Grasp Sol may be very highly effective within the Power and properly 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 neglect the primary time I noticed Star Wars within the theater,” Lee says. “The shock, the strain, and the emotion. Truthfully, I can’t imagine I performed a component in Star Wars. I’m nonetheless attempting to be cool about it.”

Manny Jacinto – Qimir

Headland wrote the character of Qimir with actor Manny Jacinto in thoughts. “It’s actually laborious 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 today. I don’t suppose it’s ever actually stopped. The primary time I stepped on set — simply wanting round on the units, all of the backgrounds, and the props — I stored repeating, ‘Oh my gosh, we’re doing Star Wars.’”

Once we meet Jacinto’s character at an apothecary on Olega, he’s already hung out as a smuggler and dealer, within the type of the scoundrel Han Solo earlier than him. “He spends his time within the apothecary, possibly consuming just a little an excessive amount of, possibly sleeping just a little an excessive amount of,” Jacinto says. “He does not actually have any kind of ambitions. He’s mainly 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 strong Jedi who’s each expert in fight and instructions respect. “She’s fairly fierce and really, very sturdy along with her talents and her humanity,” Moss says. “I really like enjoying her. I type of work from the within out. It is laborious to clarify what she is from the skin.”

Moss skilled 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 already know, 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 Unhealthy Batch. In Yord Fandar, he introduces a by-the-sacred-Jedi-texts type 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 type 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 truly see the degrees or layers of justice that truly exist.”

Yord follows the letter of the regulation, a aspect 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 area for the uncontrolled and I believe it’s, in a approach, his response to attempting 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 imposing 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 gifted 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 believe what makes her a terrific Jedi is her capability to study and to develop. She’s intelligent.”

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

“Really 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, 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 quite a lot of older, revered actresses and their performances on this planet of cinema,” Henderson says. The actor additionally labored with two motion coaches to deliver a degree of gravitas to her efficiency. “It was actually essential that you would see that there was a lot occurring inside her, however that she could not actually present it,” Henderson provides. “When Vernestra is talking, she will see behind her, above her, beneath her, and throughout her. I labored with that type 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 believe 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 certain.”

Dean-Charles Chapman – Jedi Grasp Torbin

Because the mysterious Jedi Grasp Torbin, actor Dean-Charles Chapman hopes that followers will acknowledge one key ingredient 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 happy for the sequence to unfold. “It is a very heavy motion present, combined 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 possibility 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 might go to on this new function. Once I discovered 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 possibility to put on Jedi robes and carry his first lightsaber. “We’ve by no means seen a Wookiee Jedi on display,” Suotamo says. “And that instantly sparked my creativeness. How does he behave? What has he discovered 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 now we have but to satisfy Jodie Turner-Smith’s Mom Aniseya on display, early glimpses within the trailer present a putting determine who’s equal components power and beauty. “She is fiercely protecting of her household, her coven, her youngsters, and he or she 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 contemplate her for the half, she says. “He had thought lots about conversations that we would had once we had been selling our first movie. It was shortly after I might 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 referred to as me and he stated he actually felt like this character can be excellent for me to play.”

Turner-Smith was instantly drawn to the regal nature of the Power-wielding witch. “He stated, ‘She’s a strong witch mom.’ And I used to be like, ‘Say much less,’” Turner-Smith recollects. “I received to actually start Mom Aniseya and Leslye [Headland] is such a collaborative individual. Her pleasure is contagious and he or she’s created one thing the place the writing was so good, the characters had been so thoughtfully and properly drawn, and I used to be going to be within the palms 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+.