A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away… The series Star Wars: The Acolyte takes us a hundred years before the events of Star Wars: Episode I. The Phantom Menace. Dark secrets loom over the final days of the High Republic era and powers begin to emerge from the dark side.
Today, American actress Amandla Stenberg (Hunger Games) is very excited to be part of the new adventure of this “popular culture phenomenon”. “I am so in awe of Obi-Wan Kenobi and Ewan McGregor’s performance. » According to her, the Briton created a precedent and embodies the essence of the Jedi.
Joining the Star Wars universe is an incredible opportunity for her. “It’s so huge!” » underlines this science fiction lover. In The Acolyte, she plays Mae Aniseya, whose duality bursts through the screen and who explores light and darkness as well as good and evil or even balance and imbalance. “I like the emotional complexity of my character,” confides the actress. According to her, it is a very captivating role. “Mae Aniseya’s morality and intentions are constantly questioned,” she said.
In fact, there is always something bigger than the protagonists in the equation of the series. The Acolyte notably shows the public characters sensitive to the Force, without being part of the Jedi order, like a new group of wizards. And that’s not all, since the latest Star Wars series introduces an array of new individuals who have nothing to do with the Force – merchants, droids, aliens and others.
Qimir, an apothecary who has experienced some of the darkest spaceports in the galaxy, is one of them. “My character is all the more pleasant to play because he does not come from the world of the Jedi,” emphasizes Canadian actor Manny Jacinto (Nine Perfect Strangers). Qimir is indeed an entity in its own right. “He likes to be solo, no pun intended,” says Manny Jacinto. “But it’s true: Qimir is a bit like Han Solo, who, in addition to being the most cool, is the greatest pilot in the Star Wars galaxy. With even more impertinence! » According to him, the touch of humor of his character, in addition to allowing him a certain freedom of play, is in symbiosis with the spirit of the saga imagined by George Lucas. ” With The Acolytewe bring fans something familiar, but also special and different, because no one expects that,” he mentions.
A passionate person at the helm
The multiple facets of Leslye Headland, who is author-producer, creator, co-writer and co-director of the series, have a lot to do with this originality, because she “is an unconditional admirer of Star Wars”, specifies the Canadian actor. “Leslye Headland is the best, and she’s our bible on set,” says Manny Jacinto.
Thanks to the expertise of Leslye Headland, The Acolyte is also a story full of surprises and novelties. Her colleague Amandla Stenberg, for her part, describes the filmmaker as a true enthusiast. “She writes and shoots directly from her heart,” says the actress. “She is guided by her in-depth knowledge of the universe, but also by her emotions, which brings a form of clarity to everything she does. »
Amandla Stenberg also notes that it is still very rare in Hollywood to see a woman who holds almost all the powers, given that this environment remains dominated by men. “It can be very difficult, especially when there’s a lot of pressure, and that’s definitely the case with Star Wars,” she notes. In addition, Leslye Headland works in a climate of trust with her peers. “She is very attentive and always manages to find a solution when someone loses the thread,” remembers the actress. As for Manny Jacinto, he notes a collaborative approach. “There’s no bad opinion with Leslye, and she pushes everyone’s ideas further. »
Among the countless cogs of this giant machine driven by Leslye Headland that is the large-scale production of The Acolyte, Amandla Stenberg does not forget to address the meticulous work of a team of very high-level craftsmen. “I remember my first days on set for costumes and props, and it was impressive to see the amount of things, like 3D printers, plans, textures, and people involved,” concludes the one who I still can’t get over the fact that I’m now a real Star Wars star.