THE ACOLYTE Star Amandla Stenberg Says Shocking [SPOILER] Was "Boldest Move" Leslye Headland Could Make

THE ACOLYTE Star Amandla Stenberg Says Shocking [SPOILER] Was "Boldest Move" Leslye Headland Could Make

The series premiere of The Acolyte got off to a shocking start, and while the decision has proved to be divisive, Amandla Stenberg feels it was the "boldest move" showrunner Leslye Headland could make.

By MarkCassidy - Jun 06, 2024 07:06 AM EST
Filed Under: Star Wars
Source: Via SFF Gazette

The first two episodes of The Acolyte are now streaming on Disney+, and Lucasfilm's latest live-action Star Wars series wastes little time in subverting audience expectations when it comes to one particular character.

Major spoilers follow.

In the series premiere,"Lost/Found," we see mysterious warrior Mae (Amandla Stenberg) confront Jedi Master Indara (Carrie-Anne Moss) in a cantina and command her to attack "with everything she has." Initially dismissive, Indara soon finds herself staring into a familiar face from her past, and the battle is on.

Unable to get the better of the Jedi in a fair fight, Mae resorts to throwing one of her blades at the bartender, and when Indara uses the Force to stop the weapon before it strikes, the Dark-side assassin takes advantage of the distraction by flinging another knife into her opponent's chest.

Killing off the character many assumed was going to be one of the show's leads is certainly a ballsy movie, but why did Moss agree to such a small role? Showrunner Leslye Headland tells Variety that The Matrix icon simply “needed to be involved with the project at any costs," and taking her character out almost immediately was necessary to establish the tone of the series.

“I thought it was a good tone-setter for the show. [It shows] that the Jedis are going to take some losses, and that the good guys and the bad guys are not always who you think they are.”

Moss still hasn't weighed in on her quick exit, but Stenberg feels the decision regarding her character was “one of the boldest moves that Leslye Headland could have made in our show” - although she will miss working alongside her co-star.

“We actually grew up in the same spiritual community,” Stenberg says of Moss. “And so in working in Star Wars, which is very spiritual, there’s a lot of reflecting that I was doing— especially as I literally confronted myself as my soul was split into two people.”

“Carrie-Anne and I would have a lot of those conversations together,” she continues. “She just really offered me a guiding hand, and doubled down on the importance of taking care of yourself and staying grounded in the middle of this kind of work.”

How did you feel about Indara being killed off so quickly? Drop us a comment down below.

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.

 The series stars Amandla Stenberg, Lee Jung-jae, Manny Jacinto, Dafne Keen, Charlie Barnett, Jodie Turner-Smith, Rebecca Henderson, Dean-Charles Chapman, Joonas Suotamo, and Carrie-Anne Moss.

Leslye Headland created the series, based on Star Wars by George Lucas, and serves as an executive producer along with Kathleen Kennedy, Simon Emanuel, Jeff F. King and Jason Micallef. Charmaine DeGraté and Kor Adana are the co-executive producers. Rayne Roberts, Damian Anderson, Eileen Shim and Rob Bredow are the producers.

Headland also directed the premiere episodes (Eps. 101 & 102). Directors Kogonada (Eps. 103 & 107), Alex Garcia Lopez (Eps. 104 & 105) and Hanelle Culpepper (Eps. 106 & 108) round out the directing duties on the series.

Award-winning composer Michael Abels, known for his work on Get Out and Us, scored The Acolyte.

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harryba11zack
harryba11zack - 6/6/2024, 7:12 AM
female
User Comment Image
bobevanz
bobevanz - 6/6/2024, 8:09 AM
Twisters tickets on sale now!
WarMonkey
WarMonkey - 6/6/2024, 8:56 AM
@bobevanz - I hope it's good! I've been patiently and anxiously waiting for Twisters. I love Twister, it's such a great movie, with a great cast, and all the characters are wonderful in it so I actually care about each one.
marvel72
marvel72 - 6/6/2024, 10:18 AM
@bobevanz - it looks terrible.
Evansly
Evansly - 6/6/2024, 7:17 AM
Might check it out this weekend. Not surprising to see the usuals upset about this show
TrentCrimm
TrentCrimm - 6/6/2024, 10:01 AM
@Evansly -

That's how I look at it.
The usual suspects will hate it.
If they're the type to complain about "woke" stuff and diversity, then this show is just gonna be another one for them to complain about.

For the regular folks it's a solid show so far imo. Someone in another article said it feels like a fan film and I definitely can see that, especially the first episode, but by the end of the second I think it's starting to find it's footing.

My only legitimate complaint so far is they aren't giving us much to dig into in terms of the villain. They're playing it like a mystery but not giving anything to really hook us into the mystery.
Evansly
Evansly - 6/6/2024, 10:22 AM
@TrentCrimm - I appreciate your feedback Trent Crimm The Independent!
Origame
Origame - 6/6/2024, 10:47 AM
@TrentCrimm - ah good. So you either hate it because you're obsessed with identity politics or you like it because you're a normal person. Truly a rational take that isn't doing corporate simping 🙄
TrentCrimm
TrentCrimm - 6/6/2024, 2:24 PM
@Origame -

That's not what I said at all.
I said the usual suspects will hate it, there are plenty of other reasons a person might dislike the show. My comment was saying that the people who usually hate these types of productions, won't be won over by it.

Great reading comprehension lil fella 🤘
WhateverItTakes
WhateverItTakes - 6/6/2024, 7:17 AM
thats not the worst thing shes said

https://x.com/hodgetwins/status/1798498476546031977

meanwhile her father

User Comment Image
Origame
Origame - 6/6/2024, 7:23 AM
@WhateverItTakes - meanwhile someone saying "black people crying was the goal" is fired from their job and burned at the stake.
Vigor
Vigor - 6/6/2024, 7:26 AM
@WhateverItTakes - I'm sure her white father is not offended. Afterall it's highly unlikely he's the bigoted white men she's referring to.
IronMan616
IronMan616 - 6/6/2024, 7:36 AM
@WhateverItTakes - That's all race hustlers do, cry victim, blame the white man, then go on and date/marry white people.
WhateverItTakes
WhateverItTakes - 6/6/2024, 7:38 AM
@Origame - why would you think it would be anything different. What would she say to black people that hated it?
WhateverItTakes
WhateverItTakes - 6/6/2024, 7:39 AM
@Vigor - she never mentioned bigoted, she just mention white people or did i mishear?
Origame
Origame - 6/6/2024, 7:39 AM
@WhateverItTakes - she just pretends they're white and call them racist of course.
WhateverItTakes
WhateverItTakes - 6/6/2024, 7:41 AM
@IronMan616 - then cry when their properties tank.....and disappear until you find them working at walmart
Batmangina
Batmangina - 6/6/2024, 7:45 AM
@WhateverItTakes - Wow. Not sure how anyone could think that was a good idea or clever from a business perspective.

'Minority' by definition is a smaller demographic which means fewer people to get to buy your stuff.
WhateverItTakes
WhateverItTakes - 6/6/2024, 7:49 AM
@Batmangina - disney has not been doing things from a business perspective for a while.....come to think of it a lot of brands havent....just look at bud light
marvel72
marvel72 - 6/6/2024, 7:50 AM
@WhateverItTakes -

?si=P3z6i9jTCUnRDnCu

There is a bit in the video where she is being racist to white people but that's OK.
WhateverItTakes
WhateverItTakes - 6/6/2024, 7:51 AM
@marvel72 - of course its ok......reperations bitches
Vigor
Vigor - 6/6/2024, 7:53 AM
@WhateverItTakes - it's inferred. Are you one of those all lives matter people?
WhateverItTakes
WhateverItTakes - 6/6/2024, 7:55 AM
@Vigor - nope im into the BLM scammers who have done nothing for the 'cause'
WhateverItTakes
WhateverItTakes - 6/6/2024, 7:56 AM
@Vigor - is it also inferred that only white people hate it?
Evansly
Evansly - 6/6/2024, 7:59 AM
@WhateverItTakes - Not a great look making those comments but for context here, since it is missing, this comment was made in 2018 when promoting a film The Hate U Give at the time, a movie about police killing an unarmed black kid.

I am by no means condoning her comments but for clarity they were not made about this show like the post seems to imply
Vigor
Vigor - 6/6/2024, 8:04 AM
@WhateverItTakes - yall focus more on the scammers than the message. Anything to delegitimize a good cause
WhateverItTakes
WhateverItTakes - 6/6/2024, 8:08 AM
@Vigor - how much did that 'good cause' receive that they used for their own benefit vs money that has gone to help communities?
TheFinestSmack
TheFinestSmack - 6/6/2024, 8:12 AM
@Vigor - the idea/cause is fine. It's the organization that's trash.
WhateverItTakes
WhateverItTakes - 6/6/2024, 8:13 AM
@Evansly - noted.....but it does give you an insight to her beliefs
IronMan616
IronMan616 - 6/6/2024, 8:16 AM
@WhateverItTakes - The famous or infamous Charlies Angels reboot headline, one week it said "Straight White Males: This Movie is NOT For You" Two weeks later the headline was "Why Are Straight White Men Refusing To See This Movie"

Typical self-inflicted victim mentality. When this show bombs like the many that have that came before it, they'll blame everybody else but themselves as to why nobody watched this steaming pile of garbage. They better hope their ESG/DEI Blackrock money doesn't run out.
Vigor
Vigor - 6/6/2024, 8:17 AM
@TheFinestSmack - agreed. Irrelevant. But agreed
Vigor
Vigor - 6/6/2024, 8:20 AM
@WhateverItTakes - ok let's try an experiment. Lets say i founded a hashtag and organization called #lovewhateverittakes and all proceeds to go my next yacht lol. Does that then take away from the message that we should love whateverittakes?
bobevanz
bobevanz - 6/6/2024, 8:28 AM
@marvel72 - you watch geeks and gamers, now I know you're a moron lmao
bobevanz
bobevanz - 6/6/2024, 8:29 AM
Hurr durr I'm such a victim hurr durr
WhateverItTakes
WhateverItTakes - 6/6/2024, 8:31 AM
@Vigor - that isnt masquerading as a good cause
Vigor
Vigor - 6/6/2024, 8:36 AM
@bobevanz - lol I just noticed the marvel72 blocked me because I can't see his posts. It's like the garbage is taking itself out
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