The Acolyte's Lee Jung-jae Could Be the Coolest Jedi Ever
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The next live-action Star Wars series, The Acolyte, arrives in less than a month—and a new video released today shares fresh footage from the much-anticipated show, with a focus on key character Master Sol, played by Emmy-winning Squid Game star Lee Jung-jae.
“I still can’t believe the fact that I’m in Star Wars,” Lee—a lifelong fan of the franchise—gushes as the video begins. The Acolyte’s creator, writer, and director Leslye Headland chimes in to admit she was writing the character of Master Sol while Squid Game mania was at its peak, and had no doubts about who she wanted for the role. “He just ran the gamut of every single emotion,” she says, and that’s something he’ll do again for his Star Wars debut.
Amid praise for Lee’s performance as the complex Sol, we also get new glimpses of The Acolyte itself, including some tantalizing fight scenes (complete with some peeks at behind-the-scenes lightsaber training). “J.J. is just a cool Jedi,” co-star Amandla Stenberg says.
Set during Star Wars’ High Republic era, The Acolyte—billed as a crime thriller that will explore the darker side of franchise lore—also stars Manny Jacinto, Dafne Keen, Charlie Barnett, Jodie Turner-Smith, Rebecca Henderson, Dean-Charles Chapman, Joonas Suotamo, and Carrie-Anne Moss. It runs eight episodes, and hits Disney+ with a two-episode premiere June 4.
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