Amandla Stenberg has revealed the grueling training regime she went through for The Acolyte, Star Wars‘ upcoming TV show set a century before the prequel trilogy. The future of Star Wars lies in the past, with The Acolyte set to introduce viewers to a whole new part of the Star Wars timeline. A mysterious spree of Jedi killings looks set to uncover the secrets of the Sith, with Amandla Stenberg playing a former Padawan named Mae who seems to be responsible for the murders.
Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, Stenberg has revealed just how much she trained for the role. She began studying Wing Chun before production even started, arriving on set six weeks early and spending time training with her stunt doubles Cassie Jo Craig and Kellina Rutherford. “I was such a pain in the ass for producers when I got there,” Stenberg recalled. “I’m just a really analytical person, and I have to dive deep into everything and gather as many pieces of information as possible in order to not freak out, especially when it comes to taking on something like Star Wars.”
Assistant fight coordinator Lu Junchang served as Stenberg’s personal Jedi Master, tutoring this key member of The Acolyte‘s cast to get her combat-ready. She could soon carry out entire fight sequences, including the duel with Carrie-Anne Moss’ Jedi Master Indara. “I’d never really had a relationship to martial arts before, but my master was very patient with me and just a delight,” Stenberg continued. By the end of the show, she was learning sequences on spot, demonstrating her increasing proficiency.
Even after weeks of preparation, though, Stenberg found herself “geeking out” when she arrived on the set. She particularly loved exploring the Jedi Temple set on Coruscant. “There was one day we were in pre-production, and I took a nap in the Jedi temple,” Stenberg laughed. “It wasn’t used for a short amount of time, so I laid down there on the marble. That’s when I really freaked out.” It’s impossible to say whether this comment hints her character actually used that given set.
Excitement is building for The Acolyte, which promises to be unlike anything Star Wars has made before. It’s not just the timeline; the whole approach to combat sounds so promising, with The Acolyte taking notes from Kill Bill and using action as almost a language in itself. The action scenes are being created by some of the minds behind Darth Vader’s iconic hallway scene in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, making this particularly exciting. Viewers only have to wait a few more weeks for a taste of The Acolyte.
Source: Entertainment Weekly
The Acolyte premieres on June 4 on Disney+.