One of the upcoming Star Wars series that fans are very excited about is called The Acolyte. Why is the public so interested? Because it’s part of a time period that hasn’t been mentioned before, namely the end of the High Republic era, about a hundred years before the events of Star Wars: The Phantom Menace.
But it will also feature a very special character named Kelnaka, who is a Wookiee Jedi! This is the first live-action Jedi of the Wookiee variety. And he will be played by an actor who knows these creatures well.
Chewbacca’s interpreter portrays Wookiee Jedi!
This is former Finnish basketball player and now comedian Joonas Suotamo! The latter played the famous Chewbacca in the Star Wars sequel and spin-off Solo: A Star Wars Story. Joonas Suotamo first served as an understudy to historical translator Peter Mayhew in Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens. They split the role as Peter Mayhew was suffering from knee pain and was undergoing surgery at the time.
Originally optioned for one film, Joonas Suotamo will officially take over for Peter Mayhew’s other films from 2017. The historical interpreter will disappear in 2019. But today, the Finnish actor will play another Wookiee in the upcoming TV series in 2024. A thriller inspired by the samurai films presented on Disney+.
Helmed by director Leslie Headland (Russian Doll), who serves as showrunner, The Acolyte follows the adventures of a former Padawan who finds his Jedi master to investigate a series of crimes.
He discovers that the forces they face are stronger than expected as dark secrets cloud the galaxy and many dark side forces emerge…
The rest of the cast of The Acolyte includes Lee Jung-jae, the Korean star who found international success in Squid Game, Amanla Stenberg, who appeared in The Hate U Give, Jodie Turner-Smith, who recently appeared in White Noise and Murder In Mystery 2, so is Manny. Jacinto (The Good Place), Daphne Keen (Logan) or Carrie-Anne Moss (Maxtrix)!
The Acolyte series is slated for 2024 on Disney+.
Source: Allocine
Camila Luna is a writer at Gossipify, where she covers the latest movies and television series. With a passion for all things entertainment, Camila brings her unique perspective to her writing and offers readers an inside look at the industry. Camila is a graduate from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) with a degree in English and is also a avid movie watcher.
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