This week, South Korean actor Lee Jung-jae is making Star Wars history in The Acolyte. After his breakout role in Netflix’s Squid Game, Lee is now the first Asian actor to portray a Jedi Master in live-action. And it’s a feat that Lee feels “extremely honored” by.
“I believe I’m the first Asian actor to play a Jedi Master,” Lee told GamesRadar+. “So I think that is something that’s a little bit different… When you look at Star Wars films and shows in the past, you see that whether it’s the costume or some of the martial arts [and] choreography, there is some kind of Asian influence. So I thought that maybe, because The Acolyte happens in a timeline that is previous to any show or film that’s out currently, there was a choice to select an Asian actor for the role of Master Sol.”
Lee also revealed that before he was cast in this series, he was a fan of Russian Doll, the time loop Netflix series that was conceived by The Acolyte creator Leslye Headland.
“I had actually watched Leslye’s previous work, Russian Doll and really enjoyed it,” said Lee. “I thought it was really surprising that she reached out to me because I didn’t think that there was too much in common between Russian Doll and Star Wars… However I thought, because of this, she would have such a fresh take on directing a Star Wars show and I know that she is a Star Wars super fan. So she knows so much about the universe and the history of Star Wars, down to the small details. I was really looking forward to working with her on this.”
The Acolyte will have a two-episode premiere on Disney+ on June 4.
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