After finding international success with his breakout role in Netflix’s Squid Game, Korean actor Lee Jung-jae has landed a major follow-up role to the Emmy-nominated juggernaut series. Deadline reports the actor and recently-minted director has been cast as the male lead in Disney+’s The Acolyte, an upcoming series in the Star Wars universe.
The series is being described as a mystery thriller set on the darker side of the Force with viewers following an apprentice of a corrupt Sith Lord. The show has previously announced Amandla Stenberg (Bodies, Bodies, Bodies, The Hate U Give) as the lead and added Jodie Turner-Smith (Without Remorse, Queen and Slim) to the cast this week. All three roles have yet to be revealed.
This news comes on the precipice of Jung-jae and the full Squid Game team potentially making history at this year’s Primetime Emmys set to air on Monday. If Jung-jae continues his winning streak, per Deadline, he could become the first Korean actor to win Outstanding Lead Actor for Drama Series. The show, which scored 14 total nominations, is also up for Outstanding Drama Series, the first foreign language show to ever covet the nomination. Three of his co-stars – Park Hae-soo (Prison Playbook, Narco-Saints), SAG Award winner HoYeon Jung (Disclaimer), and O Yeong-su (The Soul Guardians, A Little Monk) – are all in the running for Outstanding Supporting Actor/Actress in a Drama Series. The series made history last week with Lee Yoo-Mi (Young Adult Matters, All of Us Are Dead) winning Outstanding Guest Actress for a Drama Series, the first Koren actress to do so.
According to Deadline, The Acolyte is being helmed by Leslye Headland (Sleeping With Other People, Russian Doll) who serves as director, writer, and executive producer. Headland has been immersed in the series process working alongside Lucasfilm and their President Kathleen Kennedy to ensure the show not only boasts spectacular talent but also showcases a wealth of diversity.
As we await the premiere of this series, Jung-jae can be seen next in Hunt, his directorial debut that premiered at the Cannes Film Festival. He will also return for the inevitable second season of Netflix’s Squid Game.