Though she’s been rumored in negotiations as far back as December, today Amandla Stenberg and Lucasfilm made it official. The nonbinary actor will star in the Disney+ series The Acolyte. Stenberg announced it on their Instagram, with the official Star Wars Twitter account subsequently confirming.
Check out the original post below, with Stenberg demonstrating their fandom in an older photo:
View this post on Instagram
Stenberg shot to fame as Rue in The Hunger Games, and subsequently won Critics Choice and NAACP image awards for her lead role in The Hate U Give.
RELATED: Amandla Stenberg In Talks To Join Star Wars: The Acolyte
Unlike most other Disney+ Star Wars shows currently set post Return of the Jedi, The Acolyte takes place a century before the prequel trilogy. The High Republic era, previously featured primarily in books, features pre-war era Jedi. But it’s not without conflict: the Viking-like Nihil serve as the villains of this universe. A young Yoda may appear, but the timeframe rules out most other cameos. Russian Doll cocreator Leslye Headland serves as showrunner for the series, described as a thriller with martial arts elements. Stenberg’s role remains undescribed as yet.
What do you think of Amandla Stenberg’s casting? Let us know in comments!
Recommended Reading: Star Wars: The High Republic – Light of the Jedi
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