The Acolyte
Summary
As the firstStar Warslive - action project to be coif outside the Skywalker saga ’s timeline , Star war : The Acolytewas already bump young basis from the beginning , but its finale is what truly began to set some incredible things into question . The brief cameos byDarth Plagueis , Palpatine / Darth Sidious ' Sith Master , and Yoda had audiences everywhere buzz . It also had passel of other shameful moments , from the first live - action look at a kyber crystal being leech toVernestra Rwoh ’s Jedi conspiracy that turnedMaster Solinto the villain he never truly was .
These cameos , reveals , and more were all completed under Hanelle M. Culpepper ’s steering . As the film director ofThe Acolyteepisodes 6 and 8 , Culpepper was able to further poke out her already impressive film and television directing credits . Known for her work on TV demonstrate such asStar Trek : PicardandCriminal Minds , Culpepper is an award - winning director who has achieved incredible feat throughout the duration of her calling . As a fatal woman in this industry , and now the first woman to send for both theStar TrekandStar Warsfranchises , Culpepper is certainly no alien to breaking new earth .
The Acolyte instalment 8 wraps up season 1 of the High Republic show by casting the shadow of the dark side , and Darth Vader , over the Jedi Order .
Screen Ranthad the opportunity to question Culpepper about her work onThe Acolyte , specifically in carnal knowledge to the conclusion ’s jaw - drop surprise and reveals , episode 6 ’s quality - drive narration , and the magic ofStar Warsthat carries through every single project by the will of the Force .
Going Behind The Scenes On The Acolyte Finale’s Biggest Cameos
What It Was Like Bringing Darth Plagueis & Yoda To Life
SCREEN blah : You had the opportunity to bring the far-famed skipper of Palpatine himself , Darth Plagueis , to alive - action inThe Acolyte ’s stopping point . The mode he look out from that cave was perfectly creepy . What was it like convey this important Star Wars fictitious character and moment to life-time ?
Hanelle M. Culpepper : It was kind of wild , because you ’re so excited about what it can possibly be . But , you know , so much of it is crafted in post , and so it was also just interesting seeing how they took what we pip and then made it into what he is . For us , it was a homo in a grey-haired suit , and getting the movements right and have the framing right so that we can see enough to see who it is and make it call forth query and make the hearing question why is he there and what does this all imply .
SCREEN claptrap : Darth Plagueis was n’t your only major cameo in this close . You also get to bring Yoda back to bouncy - action mechanism ! What was it like to aim Yoda , however brief his appearance may be ? Was there anything more you may have done with him that audiences did n’t get to see ? And did you apply the same creature that was used forThe Last Jedi ?
Custom Image by Yailin Chacon
Hanelle M. Culpepper : I ’m not sure which puppet they used for The Last Jedi . I mean , I know what it depend like , but I do n’t know what the logistics are , so I ca n’t do to that .
I can tell you that I was like a nipper when I get wind that I had the opportunity to lick with Yoda . The mean solar day that we shot that , it was quite wizard , I ’ll say , because you see Yoda — and when you first see Yoda , and he ’s in his trunk , you ’re still like , “ Oh my God , it ’s Yoda , ” right ? But then , a puppeteer literally bring Yoda to life , literally , and so it ’s kind of a thinker matter when you sleep with you ’re looking at a marionette , but you ’re like , “ No , he is veridical now ! ” And I think back Leslye [ Headland ] and I were just silly and would talk to Yoda in between takes .
It was very cool . It was a fun day , and it was exciting , and I knew that if I was jumping out of my skin with excitement about the fact that we were doing this , then I was just like … this is just the complete ending for this installment .
Image via Disney+
Portraying The Acolyte’s Sith Lord’s Vulnerability With Manny Jacinto
Showing A Brand-New Side Of The Sith
SCREEN RANT : Fans everywhere ca n’t get enough of The Stranger , or Qimir . You had the chance to take aim Manny Jacinto in this character twice , for episodes 6 and 8 . What was it like working with him in this role , and what did you acquire about his type by spending so much metre with him ? How much of his inception account were you severalise ?
Hanelle M. Culpepper : Manny [ Jacinto ] was so gravid . What was probably interesting about coming in at episode 6 is that we were seeing this version of The Stranger that had not been done . He was so dissimilar before when he was playing Qimir and then when you see him as the Big Bad in episode 5 , and thenyou get to seethisside of him , to see who he really is , to see his vulnerability . And Manny really bestow so much to that . There were a draw of discussions , a lot of dry run time with Leslye there , so we could really practise down on who he is . Whatever you say , there ’s also what Manny feels deep down , what the character is saying to him , he ’s embody him . You really wanna hear to that and honor that .
It was really with each prospect , just cypher out what ’s the right amount , because the one thing we all did n’t desire is him to just be a moustache - twirly bad guy . We want him to be so much more complex than that , and his story is complex , what did find to him . I will get Leslye fill in all the blank on his backstory , and hopefully the hearing will ask a season 2 so they can instruct more if that ’s what ’s gon na be covered in time of year 2 , I do n’t know . I ’m waiting with bated breath like the rest of us .
Image via Disney+
He ’s something special with what he make for in . He and Amandla [ Stenberg ] both just really go to a mystifying , authentic place and feel what those characters feel for veridical , and you see that on the covert , you see how it comes from an honest place .
Master Sol’s Tragic Death & The Bleeding Of His Kyber Crystal
How This Heartbreaking Moment Came To Life
SCREEN RANT : The Acolyte ’s finale is the first time we ’ve seen a kyber crystal bleed in live - activeness , and it ’s utterly epic . How did you make this consequence come to living on set , and how did you feel after seeing it with its full effects ?
Hanelle M. Culpepper : When I saw that in the script , I immediately begin explore how to do this , what should it look like , trying to take care at descriptions and stuff and nonsense . Leslye brought a mint of that too , and we also consulted with Pablo [ Hidalgo ] . What we knew was important is that the lechatelierite require to be disclose and her skin needed to physically be touching it in order for it to work , so that all that emotion that she was feel in that moment with Sol is what really started this appendage of the crystal going from blue to red . It was igniting it that finally set aside us to see it .
So , there are a lot of conversations , a lot of pulling optical denotation to partake with Leslye to find out , “ Is this what it is gon na expect like ? Or is this gon na be what it looks like ? ” because you want to check that you have all the element they demand to make the visual essence seamless . I intend they did a prominent line of work , I loved it . I thought it came out even better than I imagined .
SCREEN bombast : Master Sol ’s expiry at Osha ’s hand is just perfectly tragic for both of them in every way . The emotion Lee Jung - jae portrays is dead heartrending . How did you border on directing this moment for these actors , and did you draw any inspiration from Luke and Darth Vader ’s most decisive scenes inReturn of the Jedi ?
Hanelle M. Culpepper : I definitely went and rewatched all of that stuff , but when you ’re then sit down to figure out how you ’re gon na fritter away it , it ’s there , it ’s in the back of your head , right-hand ? There are certain thing that I did not specifically say I want to do this because I want to parallel what happened in The Empire Strikes Back or anything like that , it was more like , I want to do this because I experience it ’s the best manner to order that story , to tell that emotional moment .
Working with JJ [ Lee Jung - jae ] was unbelievable . He had to give that 100 % emotion , and he has that conversation with both Mae and Osha , so he has to fork up that level in both directions in several Angle . It was never a here and now where the angle allow him to go easily on himself , right ? He had to give Amandla what she needed as Mae and what she needed as Osha so as to get us to that full point where Osha would be so emotional that she would kill this beginner , her father public figure .
I wanted to say that all the influence from Star Wars are there in a subconscious way , kind of head the instincts that you have for what is the best style to show this moment between them .
Culpepper has since shared the list of task , bothStar Warsand non - Star Wars , she ( re)watched in preparation forThe Acolyte , which include :
Rhyming With Other Star Wars Stories & Hoping For Season 2
On The Last Jedi Echoes & What Could Be Next For The Acolyte
SCREEN harangue : There were several comparison draw off between Qimir and Osha in episode 6 and Rey and Kylo Ren in the sequelStar Warstrilogy , particularly inThe Last Jedi . Was the latter ’s aesthetic something you were direct for while directing , or is this just a guinea pig ofStar Warsnaturally rhyming with itself ?
Hanelle M. Culpepper : I think it ’s certainly , again , something that I rewatched , but I feel like a quite a little of it is … you ’d have to ask [ Leslye ] , because so much of it number from what she had write on the varlet that I was just trying to execute in the best potential way physically and emotionally . There are parallels with chronicle between beginner and child , and between two mass who are connected by the Force . [ Laughs ] I did n’t by choice determine out to re-create that in any way , it was just more … when you ’re exploring that world , again , the decisions follow down to what best supports what ’s happen emotionally and for the persona and the report at that sentence .
SCREEN claptrap : in conclusion , it ’s no arcanum that Leslye Headland is hop for a season 2 to continue telling this story , and a lot of fan want that , too . Has she told you anything about a possible season 2 , perhaps a few elusive hints ?
Hanelle M. Culpepper : I have n’t gotten any hints . In fact , I wanted to well say what I said earlier , because I think you were asking about want to see more about Qimir ’s backstory , and I tell well hopefully we ’ll get a season 2 , we ’ll memorise more — and that was n’t coming from me knowing anything or implying that that ’s gon na be the case . All it is is , like the rest of the fans , I want a time of year 2 and whatever we ’re gon na get a line in time of year 2 and add to the story , expand the storey , is going to be , I ’m sure , very coolheaded and exciting and make us require a season 3 !
All episode ofThe Acolyteare now streaming on Disney+ .
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The Acolyte is a television series determine in the Star Wars universe at the end of the High Republic Era , where both the Jedi and the Galactic Empire were at the height of their influence . This sci - fi thriller sees a former Padawan reunite with her former Jedi Master as they inquire several crime - all leading to dark erupting from beneath the surface and preparing to bestow about the remnant of the High Republic .
