Lucasfilm’s next Star Wars series The Acolyte will introduce fans to a new Wookiee character, Kelnacca. What makes this Wookiee so interesting and different from any other we’ve seen in the live-action series is that he’s a lightsaber-wielding Jedi!
Kelnacca is played by Joonas Suotamo in the series. He is the actor who played Chewbacca in the sequel trilogy as well as Solo. In an interview with Empire, he explains that playing this character was “different Star Wars a dream come true.”
He said: “Since then [I was] When I was five years old, I fantasized about being a Jedi, like every child. When the word “Jedi” was first mentioned. [in talks for The Acolyte]I felt really excited, like a child finally receiving his favorite toy on his birthday.”
Suotamo went on to offer some insight into playing this character by saying, “Peter told me from the beginning that Chewbacca is a mime character. The audience doesn’t understand exactly what he is saying, but they do [interpret] his mannerisms, every little gasp, every little movement and roar.
He continued: “Kelnacca being a Jedi, this sets certain expectations for how you behave in the line of duty. There are some assumptions that can be made about whether he lets his emotions take control of him to the extent that would do Chewbacca,” For example. It was very interesting to put that into the character and try to personify it on screen.”
Kelnacca is not the first Wookiee Jedi in the Star Wars franchising. The Clone Wars The Youngling arc introduced us to Jedi Gungi, and the High Republic era of novels and comics featured the Force-wielding Wookiee Padawan Burryaga on the page.
Speaking about this character from the books, Suotamo said: “I was aware of the character and spoke to the High Republic writers at a convention. I also wanted to differentiate Kelnacca from Burryaga and not copy too much from those stories.”
In the series, Amanda Steinberg he is a former Padawan and a dangerous warrior who is hunting and killing Jedi.
The story is described as “a mystery thriller that will take viewers into a galaxy of dark secrets and emerging dark side powers in the final days of the High Republic era.” The High Republic is set 100 years before the start of the Skywalker Saga.
In The Acolyte, “An investigation into a shocking crime wave pits a respected Jedi Master (Lee Jung-jae) against a dangerous warrior from his past (Stenberg). As new clues emerge, they travel down a dark path where sinister forces reveal that all is not what it seems….”
The series is also the protagonist Squid game‘S Lee Jung Jae plays the Jedi Master, Manny Giacinto, Jodie Turner-Smith, Rebecca Henderson, Charlie Barnett, Dean-Charles Chapman, Carrie-Anne Moss, Margherita Levieva, Joonas SuotamoAND Amy Tsang.
The Acolyte will have eight episodes total, with Headland, Garcia Lopez and Kogonada directing the series’ episodes. The premiere is scheduled for June 4, 2024 on Disney+.
by Joey Paur
Source: Geek Tyrant
Lloyd Grunewald is an author at “The Fashion Vibes”. He is a talented writer who focuses on bringing the latest entertainment-related news to his readers. With a deep understanding of the entertainment industry and a passion for writing, Lloyd delivers engaging articles that keep his readers informed and entertained.
