“The Hunger Games” star Amandla Stenberg is “surprised” that she has been cast as the lead in the upcoming Star Wars series, “The Acolyte.”
The 23-year-old talent, who identifies as non-binary and uses the pronouns he and they/them, is best known to audiences for playing the young Rue in the first film of “The Hunger Games” franchise, opposite Jennifer Lawrence . Since then, Amandla has starred in such acclaimed projects as “Where Hands Touch,” “The Darkest Minds,” “Everything, Everything” and “The Hate U Give.”
Amandla was included in TIME’s Most Influential Teens list in 2015 and 2016. The accomplished performer has also won several awards, including a Teen Choice Award, an NAACP Image Award and nominations for a Critics’ Choice Award and four Black Reel Awards. Despite the success, Amandla still described herself as “shocked” and “very lucky” to be cast in a project set in a galaxy far, far away.
Amandla Stenberg ‘Very Lucky’ To Be Cast In Upcoming ‘Star Wars’ Series ‘The Acolyte’
Instagram | Amanda Stenberg
Earlier this year, Amandla announced her cast in the new series by posing with Darth Vader and R2-D2 at San Diego Comic-Con.
In an Instagram post announcing the news, she wrote, “Next stop: a galaxy far, far away… I’m so excited to finally announce I’m joining Star Wars: #TheAcolyte ! Respected is an understatement. May the Force be with you.”
Ahmed Best, who played Jar Jar Binks in the prequel trilogy, commented, “Welcome Amandla. The galaxy is better with you in it. ❤️.” Lucasfilm commented, “Welcome to the galaxy!” while Disney+ added, “🤩💫.”
Instagram | Amanda Stenberg
In an interview with The Face magazine (via Game Rant) Amandla was surprised to hear that producer Lucasfilm had written the main character of the series with her specifically in mind.
“The Lucasfilm team came to me with this project that was completely conceptualized in my mind, and I was surprised,” he told the publication. While some performers aren’t too familiar with Star Wars when they get cast in the famous franchise, Amandla describes herself as a huge fan of the film and TV show, adding that she’s “very lucky” to get “lost” in the franchise as part of her job.
“I can read, watch, and enjoy Star Wars. It’s my job to get lost in it, I’m very lucky,” he said. “My plans were interrupted by a very different life path, but one that I thought would be a great blessing.”
Who Else Has Been Cast In An Upcoming Disney+ Series?
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Actor Charlie Barnett, best known for starring opposite “Orange Is The New Black” alum Natasha Lyonne in the Netflix series “Russian Doll,” is currently in talks to join the Disney+ live-action series.
However, if she joins the project, she will team up with “Russian Doll” co-creator Leslye Headland, who is currently performing, writing and directing the latest Disney+ live-action series.
None of the characters for any of the actors or actresses in the project have been revealed, but a source told The Hollywood Reporter, which broke the news, that he will most likely play a supporting role.
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Just a day before Charlie Barnett was announced to be in talks to join the series, Deadline revealed that “The Good Place” star Manny Jacinto has been cast in the upcoming series.
Although he is best known for his role as Jason Mendoza in “The Good Place,” fans have most recently seen him in the box office success “Top Gun: Maverick.” He also appeared in the Amazon Prime movie, “I Want You Back” and the Hulu limited series, “Nine Perfect Strangers.”
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Earlier this year, Deadline reported that “Squid Game” star Lee Jung-Jae had been tapped to play the male lead in the series shortly before his first Emmy win.
Lee has won several major awards for his role, including a Screen Actors Guild Award, a Critics’ Choice Television Award, and six Baeksang Arts Awards.
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In addition to casting Lee, Deadline reports that British actress and model Jodie-Turner Smith will join the star-studded cast as well.
He recently appeared alongside another Star Wars star, Adam Driver, in the film, “White Noise,” which kicked off the 2022 Venice Film Festival. Driver is best known for his redeemed roles as Kylo Ren and Ben Solo in the Star Wars sequel trilogy from 2015 to 2019.
Instagram | Amanda Stenberg
During her announcement at Disney Investor Day in 2020, Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy teased, “Leslye Headland, creator of the Emmy-nominated Russian Doll series, is a boldly innovative filmmaker bringing her new Star Wars series to Disney+. The Acolyte is a mystery thriller that will take us into a galaxy of dark secrets and the forces of the Dark Side emerging in the last days of the era of the High Republic.”
Few details have been released about the project apart from the cast. The series is expected to be released on Disney+ in late 2023, after season 3 of “The Mandalorian” and “Ahsoka.”
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
