After months of rumors, it was Lucasfilm officially revealed that Amandla Stenberg has been cast in the lead role for Star Wars: The Acolyte. The series will explore how the Dark Side began to emerge during the galaxy’s High Republic Era. Stenberg will be the first non-binary actor to lead a Star Wars project.
The announcement was made via Twitter, which showed off Stenberg’s love for the Star Wars franchise.
Join us in welcoming Amandla Stenberg to the the Star Wars galaxy. #TheAcolyte https://t.co/PhriTUdZcv pic.twitter.com/LJp9LeZQik
— Star Wars (@starwars) July 22, 2022
Lest any of you gatekeeping types think this was just a fashionable photo op, Stenberg is definitely one of us. In an interview over the weekend with Den of Geek, the actor completely nerded out over getting the opportunity to use their extensive knowledge of the franchise while creating a new character.
@denofgeektv Amandla Stenberg talks about being cast in Star Wars! #starwars #theacolyte #amandlastenberg #starwarsfan #starwarstiktok #sith #theforce #sdcc #sdcc2022 #jedi
Stenberg also brings a ton of talent and experience to the role. While most of us remember the actor’s portrayal of Rue in The Hunger Games, they have spent the last decade racking up numerous awards and accolades for their work — particularly as the lead character (Starr Carter) in 2018’s The Hate U Give.
No official description for Stenberg’s role in The Acolyte has been announced yet, but that information is likely to be revealed in the near future.
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