Key Takeaways:
• Lee Jung-jae, star of Netflix’s Squid Games, shares his insecurities about joining the Star Wars franchise in The Acolyte.
• Show creator Leslye Headland is drawing on elements from the Extended Universe to depict the last days of the High Republic.
• The Acolyte seems to be falling short of a triumphant depiction of the High Republic era, with some critics saying it focuses more on character archetypes than a complex narrative.
Just when we thought the Star Wars universe couldn’t get any more fascinating, it’s making some bold moves. One of these is the introduction of South Korean actor Lee Jung-jae, famous for his role in the runaway Netflix hit Squid Games.
Lee Jung-jae: Star Wars Skeptic turned Acolyte
Lee Jung-jae’s relationship with Star Wars dates back to its initial release in South Korea. Having followed the franchise’s evolution over the years, he humbly admitted his reservations about taking on a role in this iconic universe. In a conversation with NextShark (as reported by Yahoo!News), the actor expressed his initial doubts:
“I still had doubts of whether I could pull off this role”, he confessed, explaining how it was show creator Leslye Headland who encouraged him to dream big. He voiced his astonishment at becoming part of the Star Wars franchise, expressing a kind of humble awe that attests to his dedication to delivering an authentic performance.
The Background: Star Wars Extended Universe and High Republic
The Acolyte, the latest show in the Star Wars catalogue, promises viewers a dip into the golden days of the Jedi Order. Leslye Headland, the mind behind the series, is drawing from the Extended Universe (also known as the Legends timeline) to craft the canonical version of the High Republic’s final days.
While the Skywalker Saga has been widened with numerous animated and live-action renditions, the galaxy’s time before, and to some extent after, the Skywalker family hasn’t been thoroughly delved into. The Extended Universe does explore this further, but Disney discarded a lot of that narrative when they took over the franchise.
The Acolyte’s Potential Pitfalls
In an attempt to break this narrative stagnation, The Acolyte was conceptualized to offer audiences the first canonical look into the High Republic era. However, reviews suggest that the series might have tripped up somewhere along the way.
Critics argue that the story fails to deliver a richly detailed narrative, focusing more on key character archetypes than the complex struggle between good and evil. The High Republic era presented an opportunity to expand the Star Wars universe, but this formulation of The Acolyte seems to have missed the mark.
Despite the mixed reviews, Disney+ subscribers can now stream The Acolyte and determine for themselves if the series meets their Star Wars expectations. As for Lee Jung-jae, his humble approach to his role in the series offers fans a unique and worthwhile perspective on what it’s like to step into a universe as grand and revered as Star Wars.
