The Acolyte has come to an finish with huge reveals, big connections, and a brand new establishment starting to ripple its method throughout the galaxy far, far-off. However whereas io9 has already sat down with one of many darkish brokers shaping that establishment, it’s solely truthful 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 together with her selecting to have her reminiscence wiped to maintain Osha secure, whereas Osha herself embraced the darkness simmering inside her to take Mae’s place because the apprentice of the mysterious Stranger—the stage is ready for a tumultuous time within the Star Wars galaxy. To seek out out extra about Osha and Mae’s divergent paths, and their relationship to the darkish aspect and to the Stranger notably, 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 house 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 number of various things for me to consider once I thought of their physicality, how they could be alike in that method, how they could be totally different. First off, I assumed it could simply be extra attention-grabbing in the event that they have been very totally different folks. I wrote in depth backstories [for both Osha and Mae], and thought loads in regards to the concept of nature versus nurture—how they could have been after they have been very small, and the way ideologically might need been very totally different from one another, simply combing by means of 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 discuss it extra in a type of lore-y method now. Sol says within the finale that they’re the identical particular person. 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] once we have been going into pre-production, I mentioned “effectively, are they clones of one another? Does that imply I ought to play them as the identical particular person?” and that’s when she mentioned “No, it’s going to be associated to a vergence within the Drive.” [When I heard that I said] okay, it’s going to must do with the manipulation of the Drive, and midi-chlorians—and I heard about their mystical origin story. I assumed “effectively, then in the event that they are the identical particular person, then there’s this chance for me to consider them as representations of the sunshine and the darkish aspect of the Drive,” 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 really 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 laborious, 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 effectively. There have been consistencies I wished there to be from them as youngsters, and them as adults. Kids are simply so stunning, I simply realized a lot from them as effectively. They actually impressed me and helped me create the grownup variations of Osha and Mae.
io9: Trying again to the finale, I wished to ask a couple of huge second for Osha, bleeding Sol’s lightsaber. What was that second like for you, what was going by means of your head, for a way Osha felt, within the second that swap occurs?
Stenberg: I consider it as type of like… type of a victorious tragedy, or a tragic victory. One of many first issues I thought of was Anakin Skywalker, and the type of incredulous response you’ll be able to must your personal darkness. Osha goes by means of so a lot at that time: shock, embodiment, reclamation of her personal I energy. I simply tried to steadiness these issues as finest I might. 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 all the 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 the perfect illustration of her flip to the darkish aspect, but in addition this shock at your personal 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 grow to be 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 enjoying Mae’s relationship with him?
Stenberg: It’s so attention-grabbing as a result of folks love the romantic, or type of seduction aspect of their relationship. I wasn’t essentially pondering of it actively whereas navigating that a part of Osha’s trajectory—I believe the explanation why it reads with a lot stress, is as a result of Osha is lastly being given the chance. She’s totally being seen by another person, in an actual method, , the darkest and deepest elements 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 consider the identical issues in regards to the world. I believe that simply creates a type of profound connection between folks, and that’s why it feels that method. I’m glad that labored, as a result of that was our hope. We wished there to be this romantic stress and the sense of a union, whereas additionally not explicitly portraying it that method—simply portraying the storyline, which is that this younger lady who has not had the chance to completely 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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