'The Acolyte': Amandla Stenberg, Lee Jung-jae to explore uncharted era in 'Star Wars' universe

Lucasfilm's upcoming Disney+ series The Acolyte is set in the High Republic era, a period yet to be explored within the live action Star Wars universe.

Taking place some 100 years before the events of The Phantom Menace, it will take us back into the past, during a time of relative peace when the Jedi were plentiful, but will also chart the rise of the Dark Side.

This weekend's Star Wars Celebration 2023 in London gave audiences their first glimpse at the show, which is due to wrap shooting this May, and it revealed a host of characters — many of them Jedi — that we know little about. Yahoo Entertainment spoke to the cast and showrunner to find out more about the mysterious Jedi — in particular, the intriguing Jedi master played by Squid Game’s Lee Jung-jae.

Lee says that his character “explores lots of different emotions” adding that “this Jedi has experienced a lot.” (Lee co-headlines the series with Amandla Stenberg, who plays his former padawan.)

Showrunner and creator Leslye Headland adds, “I think that people have this conception of the Jedi as very stoic, and without emotion.

"And I think what JJ (Lee Jung-jae) brings to this particular role is an emotional complexity that you don't get to often see with Jedi. You do see [it] with some characters, but I think what he's done is astonishing. And I can't wait for the world to see it.”

“He has this aura about him, especially in his voice, that makes you want to listen to everything he says," comments co-star Manny Jacinto (The Good Place). "He’s like the perfect Jedi Master because of posture, his traits, his voice, his demeanor.”

“He’s the best kind of Jedi. He’s just so Jedi. When you just see it you know it,” adds Rebecca Henderson.

Jacinto calls his own character a good guy: “He’s a citizen of the galaxy just minding his own business, having a good time and then he gets wrapped up in this whole story within the High Republic and the Jedi.”

Henderson, meanwhile, was revealed to be fan-favorite Vernestra Rwoh. She's “a very powerful elder Jedi master; a Mirialan," the actress says. "She’s a near-human species of alien.”

Both Stenberg, who says that her character is “mad, and good with knives”, and Joonas Suotamo, who plays a Wookiee Jedi that is “worlds away from the smuggling business of Chewbacca [the Wookiee he played in the latest Star Wars trilogy],” describe the series as a mystery-thriller.

Headland says of the eight-episode series, “There are a lot of surprises… because the show isn't tied to any legacy characters and it isn't part of the Skywalker saga.

"There's definitely a lot of left turns that we can take and we can do a lot of things and have a lot of freedom. Of course, there are other things that would step on canon that we don't do but you're definitely going to be in for a ride, and a weekly experience. Each episode will feel a little bit like its own movie chock-full of characters, chock-full of mystery, incredible performances by the cast and not just dramatic performances, and emotional performances, but the action performances too.”

The showrunner describes the series as Kill Bill meets Frozen — but what does that mean?

“I think there’s just some really cool fights," Jacinto weighs in. "We had a great stunt team who put their heart and soul into it and I hope that we can rise to the insane abilities in Kill Bill... I’ve had some sneak peeks, and I’ve been blown away as a fan, too. I know that I’m astonished at what’s coming out so far.”

And what about the Frozen part?

“You know — family.” Say no more.

Star Wars: The Acolyte will stream on Disney+ in 2024. Watch a trailer for Ahsoka below: