'The Acolyte' cast, creator talk new 'Star Wars' series set 100 years before prequels
LOS ANGELES -- "Star Wars" is heading back to the streaming world with the new Disney+ series, "Star Wars: The Acolyte."
It may have plenty of light sabers to go around, but it also shines a light on a different kind of "Star Wars" story to tell. This one starts off as a murder mystery, where all is not what it seems.
Amandla Stenberg plays the title role.
"I play twins who have been separated at a young age by a tragedy, and Osha, the twin that we kind of meet first most intimately, she used to be a Jedi, but she's left that life and it turns out that her sister who she thought was dead was actually alive, and not only is she alive, she's murdering Jedi," Stenberg said.
Lee Jung-jae plays her Jedi trainer.
"As an actor, obviously it's such a huge honor to be part of the 'Star Wars' universe," he said.
Leslye Headland, the creator of the series, brings us into a time before Anakin and Obi-Wan, exploring the actions that led to the fall of the Jedi.
"I would say it's a prequel of the prequels. When I saw 'Phantom Menace' when it came out, I thought what an intriguing premise," Headland said. "I wonder what happened? I wonder how the cracks in the system led to where they were in the beginning of that film."
When it comes to the mystery, even the show's title is a clue.
"It's a position. It's a description of a person. I hope as people are watching it, they're questioning it as the narrative goes forward," Headland said. "Who is the acolyte out of all these people we're watching?'"
"Star Wars: The Acolyte" begins streaming June 4 on Disney+ with a two-episode premiere.
Disney is the parent company of Lucasfilm and this station.
