Lee Jung-jae may be one of the most successful actors in South Korea, but he only gained widespread international stardom and fame after the release of Netflix’s Squid Game in 2021. He even made history by receiving international nominations and recognitions, being the first Asian and Korean actor to win the Primetime Emmy Award and Screen Actors Guild Award. Hence, it was no surprise that he was cast as the male lead in the upcoming Star Wars: The Acolyte and Jung-jae described his character as a “skilled Jedi Master.”
Despite the success and fame Jung-jae experiences today, he still can’t believe he will be part of an iconic franchise. His involvement in The Acolyte, playing the lead role of Jedi Master Sol, even made him remember his exciting childhood experience of watching Star Wars in a theater for the first time as a child.
“I still can't believe the fact that I'm in Star Wars,” he said via The Korea Times.
Details about the 51-year-old star’s role in the upcoming series remain scarce. However, Star Wars recently released a new trailer that gives a good look at his character and several action-packed scenes in which he will be involved. So, to give fans a clearer picture of Sol, he went on to describe this mysterious Jedi Master.
“Sol is a responsible and skilled Jedi Master, willing to sacrifice everything for peace,” he revealed. “Sol often hides his emotions rather than expressing them outwardly.”
Jung-jae also talked about his fighting scenes in The Acolyte. Though he was already trained to use swords in South Korea, he admitted that lightsabers differed.
“I practiced quite a bit with swords in Korea, but lightsabers are different,” he continued.
Star Wars: The Acolyte Cast and Crew Praised Lee Jung-jae
It was in November 2022 when Lucasfilm announced that Jung-jae joined The Acolyte's A-list cast, working alongside Carrie-Anne Moss, Rebecca Henderson and Dafne Keen. And if showrunner Leslie Headland had something to say about his casting, he was the perfect one to take the part of Sol.
“I was writing the character of Sol when Squid Game came out. I said that's Sol,” she said. “He just ran the gamut of every single emotion.”
The South-Korean-born American filmmaker Kogonada, who directs Episodes 3 and 7 of the series, also has nothing but praise for Jung-jae. For someone who has been in the business for three decades, the An Affair star has already proven his great talents and capacity.
“He has been a legendary actor for years,” Kogonada added. “He has real ownership of his character.”
Lastly, Amandla Stenberg, who plays May, also expressed her admiration for Jung-jae as an actor. With the many fighting scenes featuring Sol in the new Disney+ show, she reveals how beautifully he fights in each scene.
“Lee Jung-jae just shines so beautifully in this role,” she said. “He looks fantastic when he fights.”
The Acolyte’s two-episode premiere is set to release on Tuesday, June 4, on Disney+. With the several interesting characters that the series will feature, Jung-jae’s Sol will be the one fans should look forward to.
