The Acolyte’s Manny Jacinto Reveals Who He Plays in New Star Wars Series
50With the bevy of new Star Wars movies and television shows being announced during Star Wars Celebration, fans got the pleasure of seeing a glimpse into The Acolyte this Friday. The series is created by Leslye Headland, who is known for being a co-creator on Russian Doll and her work as a playwright. The Acolyte takes place near the end of the High Republic, a period of time set about a century before Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace. The period is known as a time when the Jedi order is flourishing, so those who can't get enough of our lightsaber-wielding Jedi should get their fill with this eight-episode series.
The series follows a former Padawan and her Jedi master as they investigate crimes, ultimately leading them to discover the more sinister forces at work. Amandla Stenberg and Lee Jung-jae have been cast as the Padawan and master, respectively, but we caught up with Manny Jacinto at SWC to discuss with him a little about his role in the series.
While there is a lot that's uncertain about what we can expect with The Acolyte, what we do know is that the current cast, on top of Stenberg, Lee, and Jacinto, includes Dafne Keen (His Dark Materials), Jodie Turner-Smith (After Yang), Charlie Barnett (Russian Doll) and Carrie-Anne Moss as a Jedi masters, and Joonas Suotamo as the Wookie Jedi Kel Naka.
Manny Jacinto On His Character and What's at Stake
Although the teaser shown at Star Wars Celebration doesn't give much away, it was revealed during the panel that the series is told from the perspective of the villain, though it is unclear who that would be. Jacinto described the series as having "something more to prove," explaining, "We have more stake in it, in a sense."
Jacinto was tight-lipped about his character, though he clarified to Collider that, "He's a citizen, he’s a guy within this galaxy who gets pulled into this larger mission within the High Republic and the Jedi. So, whether he likes it or not, he’s kinda in this world." He also made it clear that his character does not wield a lightsaber, he said:
"My extent of playing with the lightsabers is stealing [Dafne Keen’s] or Charlie [Barnett’s] lightsabers and taking selfies in the locker room. So I don’t really get to do that much. But, it’s cool watching them work and do their thing. I’m always in awe, especially with these guys getting to do that. So I think I’m jealous. I’ll talk to Leslye again, maybe do something next season."
Manny Jacinto Discusses Working with Leslye Headland
Considering how different the era of the High Republic is from what we know of Star Wars currently in the Disney canon, the series will require a deft hand and someone who understands the intricacies and differences between the different eras of the Jedi. Jacinto commented on showrunner Leslye Headland's expertise, calling her a "true fan," and saying:
"She is almost like an encyclopedia Star Wars — like, she cosplays, does the RPGs. She’s done a PhD in Star Wars. So, when you watch the show, you’ll notice little Easter eggs, nods to The High Republic, even nods to the original trilogy. You’ll see how we incorporate those in our show, and Leslye is the only person that can pull that off because she’s such a fan of the story."
Currently, The Acolyte is set to be released on Disney+ in 2024.
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