David Bridges
The Acolyte has come to an finish with large reveals, large 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 end result of an extended, unusual journey for twin sisters Osha and Mae. With their roles basically reversed—Mae’s quest for revenge in opposition to the Jedi that upended her life climaxing along 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 search 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 sequence, however exist in that area the place you’re entering into the headspace of those two sisters on the identical time?
Amandla Stenberg: Oh yeah, it was so fascinating. There was just a few various things for me to consider once I considered their physicality, how they could be alike in that method, how they could be totally different. First off, I believed it might simply be extra fascinating in the event that they have been very totally different individuals. I wrote in depth backstories [for both Osha and Mae], and thought rather a lot concerning the thought 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 via the subtext of these flashback episodes. That was actually useful for me in writing these backstories.
However then I additionally thought concerning 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 received into that dialogue, as a result of, you realize, 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 Pressure.” [When I heard that I said] okay, it’s going to need to do with the manipulation of the Pressure, and midi-chlorians—and I heard about their mystical origin story. I believed “effectively, then in the event that they are the identical particular person, then there’s this chance for me to think about them as representations of the sunshine and the darkish aspect of the Pressure,” 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 received 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 received very near them. Whereas we have been filming I’d take them out for prime 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 needed there to be from them as youngsters, and them as adults. Youngsters are simply so lovely, 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: Wanting again to the finale, I needed to ask a few large second for Osha, bleeding Sol’s lightsaber. What was that second like for you, what was going via your head, for the way Osha felt, within the second that change occurs?
Stenberg: I consider it as type of like… type of a victorious tragedy, or a tragic victory. One of many first issues I considered was Anakin Skywalker, and the type of incredulous response you possibly can need to your individual darkness. Osha goes via 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 vital to me that her sort-of-victory was the permission that she gave herself, and the permission she was given by having the entire fact 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 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 develop into the Stranger’s new Acolyte. Manny Jacinto has spoken in prior interviews concerning 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 fascinating as a result of individuals 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 feel 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 method, you realize, the darkest and deepest components of herself are being seen. And I feel 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 concerning the world. I feel that simply creates a type of profound connection between individuals, and that’s why it feels that method. I’m glad that labored, as a result of that was our hope. We needed there to be this romantic pressure and the sense of a union, whereas additionally not explicitly portraying it that method—simply portraying the storyline, which is that this younger girl who has not had the chance to completely be herself, and be comfy. After which she finds an individual, and a spot, the place she does.
The Acolyte is now streaming on Disney+.
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