“That wasn’t my thought process”: The Acolyte Creator Leslye Headland Broke a Decades-Long Star Wars Tradition with her Show But it Was Never the Goal
Hollywood is putting more effort into casting actors from different backgrounds to better reflect the real world. Leslye Headland, the brains behind the upcoming Star Wars show The Acolyte, recently opened up about the series’ cast, which has a lot of Asian actors. Her reason for casting? Picking the best people for the job.
The Acolyte is a new Star Wars television series premiering next month. It’s a mystery thriller set during the High Republic era and follows a Jedi investigation. The story takes place about 100 years before the events of the original Star Wars movies. Evil is afoot as Jedi Knights are being murdered, and the investigation leads to two mysterious sisters, Osha and Mae (played by actress Amandla Stenberg).
Leslye Headland Inadvertently Breaks Star Wars Tradition with The Acolyte
The Netflix series The Acolyte features a diverse cast, but according to co-creator Leslye Headland, ethnicity wasn’t the main factor when choosing actors. The 44-year-old said she simply had a clear vision of who would perfectly play each character, and luckily, she was able to cast her top choices for every role. Headland explained in an interview with The Nerds of Color:
It must have been in the back of my mind. At the time, that wasn’t my thought process. I had one idea for every role. There was no casting process. I wanted Amandla [Stenberg]. I wanted [Lee Jung-Jae]. I wanted Manny [Jacinto] — Manny, especially. I have no other ideas. So, it must have been in the back of my mind as we leaned into it.
The casting choices for the new Star Wars shows are a breath of fresh air. Instead of focusing on actors’ race, casting directors are looking for the best person to bring each character to life.
This approach — also seen in another Star Wars project, The Mandalorian — creates a more realistic and relatable cast and reflects the variety of people in the real world. It’s a win-win for both the production, which gets top-notch acting, and audiences who see themselves reflected on screen. This follows a trend of Star Wars moving away from the mostly white casts of the original films.
First Asian Jedi Master Leads Diverse Star Wars Series
Star Wars fans have long known that creator George Lucas drew inspiration from Asian culture, especially samurai movies. He even tried to cast a famous Japanese actor in the original films! But despite these influences, there haven’t been many Asian characters in the lead roles of Star Wars movies or TV shows.
That’s all changing with the new Disney+ series, The Acolyte. The show features Lee Jung-Jae as the first ever Asian Jedi Master and Amandla Stenberg as his former student. This marks a big step towards a more diverse Star Wars, with people of color and women taking center stage.
The Acolyte is set to premiere on June 4th on Disney+.
