Squid Game breakout star Lee Jung-jae may have played a Jedi Master in the upcoming The Acolyte, but he imagines his Sol being trained by a legendary Star Wars character. If the South Korean actor has his way, he wants Qui-Gon Jinn as Sol’s maverick Jedi Master.
On Tuesday, June 4, viewers will finally see the story of Jedi Master Sol as he investigates the Jedi killings with his former Padawan Osha, played by Amandla Stenberg, in The Acolyte.
Knowing the responsibility and the influence a Jedi Master has in the franchise, Jung-jae reveals his inspiration to play his part perfectly.
In an interview with Digital Spy, the 51-year-old star revealed that he had watched many Star Wars TV shows and films to learn from the actors who had played Jedi Master roles in the past.
“Of all the performances, I especially got inspiration from Liam Neeson as Qui-Gon Jinn,” he said. “I think it was very important to represent that the Jedi philosophy maintains through all these different ages, so I almost imagined Qui-Gon as Master Sol’s Padawan, forming that connection between the two of them and maintaining that Jedi philosophy between generations.”
Lee Jung-jae Teases “Unique” Character in The Acolyte
In the same interview, Jung-jae teased that his character in The Acolyte is unique among the other Jedi Masters in the franchise.
He described Sol as someone who sacrificed a lot to maintain peace and order in the galaxy.
“I think this type of person is very rare to meet in real life. Of course, you hear about them in the news, but I think this is what makes Master Sol unique,” he continued.
In a different interview with ComicBook, Jung-jae added that he wanted to embody “roughness,” given that The Acolyte was set during the High Republic Era. This timeline hadn’t been explored in any live-action series or movie.
However, that roughness also applies to Sol’s emotional state, as the actor reveals that his character will express his emotions a “little bit roughly.”
“So even though externally, Master Sol is extremely powerful in the Force, I think the Jedi still have this intrinsic fear, right?” he suggested. “Whether it's the first time meeting a villain or, in the very beginning of a battle, feeling the power of your opponent for the first time.”
He even revealed that viewers were about to see his “extremely humanistic side” in his relationship with Osha.
However, as the show begins, there will still be an element of fear and surprise, which fans are about to experience.
In addition to Jung-jae and Stenberg, The Acolyte also features Carrie-Ann Moss as Master Indara, Charlie Barnett as Yord Fandar, Rebecca Henderson as Vernestra Rwoh, Manny Jacinto as Qimir, Dafne Keen as Jecki Lon, Joonas Suotamo as Kelnacca, and Jodi Turner-Smith as Mother Aniseya.
The Acolyte will be released with a special two-episode premiere on June 4 on Disney+.
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