Headland and Co. built the Disney+ show around Stenberg….
There’s no way I would have found this article otherwise, so I am thrilled that The Direct signal boosted The Face’s piece, “Amandla Stenberg: from child stardom to hot girl horror.”
a. I like the writing on the site.
b. I really like the article on Stenberg.
In it, Amandla, the Bodies Bodies Bodies star, who rose to a Star Wars lead from The Hunger Games, talks about her already amazing life and career.
However, for our purposes, The Acolyte explanation is prescient.
Don’t Rue the Day
Her inclusion in the planning for The Acolyte remains a big deal for Stenberg, seen in The Direct article taking a photo with R2-D2 (and notably wearing a Darth Maul t-shirt).
Speaking to The Face, The Acolyte actor Amandla Stenberg revealed that Lucasfilm had them specifically in mind for the show’s lead and built the show around her before she had even signed on:
“The Lucasfilm team came to me with this project which was fully conceptualized with me in mind, and I was astounded,”
The young actor went on to share her incredible excitement for the opportunity to join the Star Wars galaxy:
“I get to read, watch and breathe Star Wars. It’s my job to get lost in it, I’m so lucky. My plans were interrupted by a very different life path, but one that I think is going to be a huge blessing.”
Also interesting to this reader was The Face mentioning, “She’s already picked up kung-fu lessons as part of her preparation for the role, and is plotting a move to the UK, where the series will be shot.”
The Face also reminded fans of the Vanity Fair article from earlier this year, where Leslye Headland spoke about her story motivations behind the upcoming The Acolyte series.
To wit, Anthony Breznican wrote:
Headland describes The Acolyte as a mystery thriller set in a prosperous and seemingly peaceful era, when the galaxy is still sleek and glistening. “We actually use the term the Renaissance, or the Age of Enlightenment,” she says. Jedis were not always ascetic monklike figures living selflessly and bravely. “The Jedi uniforms are gold and white, and it’s almost like they would never get dirty. They would never be out and about,” Headland says. “The idea is that they could have these types of uniforms because that’s how little they’re getting into skirmishes.”
The Perfect Choice
Hmmm.
One wonders if, as an acolyte, the Bodies Bodies Bodies star might be the perfect foil for some stodgy Jedi. Or, perhaps, Stenberg is the impetus for the titular “Acolyte” (a la Padme to Anakin). Moreover, I read somewhere (I’ve been reading a long time) that the original reason Palpatine turned to the Dark Side was unrequited love.
Who knows? There’s even a set of juicy rumors compiled by Bespin Bulletin.
However, I can wait for Headland and Stenberg to flesh out the story of The Acolyte.
My only expectation is that it will be great.
