Amandla Stenberg is officially playing two characters in the new Star Wars prequel series, The Acolyte.
Advertisement
The mystery thriller series will be coming to Disney Plus next week, and at the London premiere of the show, the actress revealed to RadioTimes.com a little bit about the characters we're yet to see her embody in The Acolyte.
When asked whether there were any other Star Wars characters or stories that inspired her performance, Stenberg said: "I thought about it differently depending on the character that I was playing.
"For one of my characters, I wanted that person to feel warm and kind of masculine. I thought about Han Solo, and there's this humour and levity to Star Wars that makes it so joyous and fun, and I wanted that to be a part of her.
"And with the other character, I guess I thought about Anakin, when he goes to the Dark Side of the Force. His story is all driven by his relationship to his family, and like a deep pain that exists there. And it's very similar for one of my characters."
Amandla Stenberg as Mae in The Acolyte. LucasFilm
It's only recently been teased that Stenberg is set to play two characters in The Acolyte, after previously being announced as leading the cast as Mae.
As for the other character she's set to portray, we'll just have to wait and see, as details about the mysterious figure are being kept under wraps for now.
We do know, though, that Stenberg is joined by many stars in the cast of the new series, with the likes of Squid Game's Lee Jung-jae and Jodie Turner-Smith also starring in The Acolyte.
The official synopsis for the show says: "In The Acolyte, an investigation into a shocking crime spree pits a respected Jedi Master (Lee Jung-jae) against a dangerous warrior from his past (Amandla Stenberg).
"As more clues emerge, they travel down a dark path where sinister forces reveal all is not what it seems…."
Excitement for the new series continues to build, especially after the release of a brand new trailer at the start of this month, which not only gave us a further look at the cast, but also a mysterious new Sith Lord.
The trailer also made it plainly clear that Stenberg's Mae is harbouring much resentment when it comes to her former mentor Jedi Master Sol, with it still unclear whether Stenberg is the titular acolyte in question or the killer at the centre of the mysterious string of Jedi murders.
Whatever the case may be, Stenberg is sure to deliver quite the performance in not just one, but two roles - count us excited!
Morgan Cormack is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering everything drama-related on TV and streaming. She previously worked at Stylist as an Entertainment Writer. Alongside her past work in content marketing and as a freelancer, she possesses a BA in English Literature.
Louise Griffin is the Sci-Fi & Fantasy Editor for Radio Times, covering everything from Doctor Who, Star Wars and Marvel to House of the Dragon and Good Omens. She previously worked at Metro as a Senior Entertainment Reporter and has a degree in English Literature.
