The Acolyte has come to an finish with massive reveals, big connections, and a brand new establishment starting to ripple its manner throughout the galaxy far, distant. However whereas io9 has already sat down with one of many darkish brokers shaping that establishment, it’s solely honest that we converse to their apprentice, too, isn’t it?
The Acolyte‘s season finale presents the fruits of a protracted, unusual journey for twin sisters Osha and Mae. With their roles primarily reversed—Mae’s quest for revenge towards the Jedi that upended her life climaxing along with her selecting to have her reminiscence wiped to maintain Osha protected, whereas Osha herself embraced the darkness simmering inside her to take Mae’s place because the apprentice of the mysterious Stranger—the stage is about for a tumultuous time within the Star Wars galaxy. To search out out extra about Osha and Mae’s divergent paths, and their relationship to the darkish aspect and to the Stranger significantly, we spoke with Acolyte star Amandla Stenberg to look again.
James Whitbrook, io9: What was it like for you on set as an actor having to not simply play Osha and Mae throughout the collection, however exist in that area the place you’re stepping into the headspace of those two sisters on the identical time?
Amandla Stenberg: Oh yeah, it was so fascinating. There was a couple of various things for me to consider once I considered their physicality, how they could be alike in that manner, how they could be totally different. First off, I assumed it could simply be extra fascinating in the event that they have been very totally different folks. I wrote in depth backstories [for both Osha and Mae], and thought lots in regards to the concept of nature versus nurture—how they may have been once they have been very small, and the way ideologically might need been very totally different from one another, simply combing by the subtext of these flashback episodes. That was actually useful for me in writing these backstories.
However then I additionally thought in regards to the progressions of their lives, and the way that formed them—I can speak about it extra in a kind of lore-y manner now. Sol says within the finale that they’re the identical individual. And as we bought into that dialogue, as a result of, , there’s this historical past in Star Wars of clones. I talked to Leslye [Headland, The Acolyte showrunner] after we have been going into pre-production, I stated “nicely, are they clones of one another? Does that imply I ought to play them as the identical individual?” and that’s when she stated “No, it’s going to be associated to a vergence within the Power.” [When I heard that I said] okay, it’s going to need to do with the manipulation of the Power, and midi-chlorians—and I heard about their mystical origin story. I assumed “nicely, then in the event that they are the identical individual, then there’s this chance for me to think about them as representations of the sunshine and the darkish aspect of the Power,” and for his or her essences to be in flux in relation to one another, like yin and yang.
io9: I’m glad you talked about the Brendok episodes—clearly you don’t seem in these, however they’re essential to our understanding of Osha and Mae as characters. Did you get to be on set throughout filming these episodes, or to work together with Lauren and Leah [Brady, the twin actors for Young Mae and Osha]?
Stenberg: So I truly flew out to LA months earlier than I even bought to London for pre-production, and I learn with a number of twin units of actresses. When Leah and Lauren got here in, I simply instantly fell in love with them. We bonded so arduous, in a short time—we performed collectively, and we talked, after which I learn the scenes with them and I gave them notes. So going into filming, we already had this relationship, and I bought very near them. Whereas we have been filming I’d take them out for top tea and attempt to spend as a lot time with them. There have been positively components of [their performances] that I based mostly my characterization off of as nicely. There have been consistencies I wished there to be from them as kids, and them as adults. Kids are simply so stunning, I simply realized a lot from them as nicely. They actually impressed me and helped me create the grownup variations of Osha and Mae.
io9: Wanting again to the finale, I wished to ask a couple of massive second for Osha, bleeding Sol’s lightsaber. What was that second like for you, what was going by your head, for the way Osha felt, within the second that swap occurs?
Stenberg: I consider it as form of like… kind of a victorious tragedy, or a tragic victory. One of many first issues I considered was Anakin Skywalker, and the kind of incredulous response you possibly can need to your individual darkness. Osha goes by so a lot at that time: shock, embodiment, reclamation of her personal I energy. I simply tried to stability these issues as greatest I may. It felt essential to me that her sort-of-victory was the permission that she gave herself, and the permission she was given by having the entire reality lastly at her disposal, to really feel issues and to lean into her personal emotionality. As a result of she’s somebody who has lived a really emotionally repressed life as much as that time. That felt to me like one of the best illustration of her flip to the darkish aspect, but in addition this shock at your individual energy—we’re usually afraid of our personal energy.
io9: Constructing off of that, we see Osha in a role-reversal with Mae and go off to change into the Stranger’s new Acolyte. Manny Jacinto has spoken in prior interviews in regards to the sensuality and seduction in Osha and the Stranger’s relationship, however what was it like so that you can play that relationship with him, in distinction to taking part in Mae’s relationship with him?
Stenberg: It’s so fascinating as a result of folks love the romantic, or kind of seduction aspect of their relationship. I wasn’t essentially considering of it actively whereas navigating that a part of Osha’s trajectory—I believe the rationale why it reads with a lot pressure, is as a result of Osha is lastly being given the chance. She’s totally being seen by another person, in an actual manner, , the darkest and deepest components of herself are being seen. And I believe there’s one thing very romantic about that.
There’s additionally one thing romantic about this ideological union that’s occurring, of those two individuals who come to imagine the identical issues in regards to the world. I believe that simply creates a kind of profound connection between folks, and that’s why it feels that manner. I’m glad that labored, as a result of that was our hope. We wished there to be this romantic pressure and the sense of a union, whereas additionally not explicitly portraying it that manner—simply portraying the storyline, which is that this younger lady who has not had the chance to totally be herself, and be snug. After which she finds an individual, and a spot, the place she does.
The Acolyte is now streaming on Disney+.
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