Dafne Keen Is Playing An Alien-Human Hybrid In Star Wars: The Acolyte
The term "alien" is a funny one to use in the context of "Star Wars." So far as we know, none of the humans in a galaxy far, far away are from Earth, so technically every "Star Wars" character is an alien. Conceivably, this could also mean that just about everyone in "Star Wars" can have sex and reproduce with each other, assuming they're not subject to the same biological laws that govern us Earthlings. (We here at /Film only ask the important questions about pop culture.)
It's canon that humans and Jawas have hooked up, and we've already seen hybrid-species characters introduced under the watchful eyes of the House of Mouse, most notably Jacen Syndulla (Kanan Jarrus and Hera Syndulla's son in "Star Wars Rebels"). "The Acolyte," the upcoming live-action series that takes place about a century before the Skywalker Saga, will also feature what Empire referred to in its Summer 2023 preview issue as a "bi-species" young Jedi played by Dafne Keen of "Logan" and "His Dark Materials" fame.
Created by Leslye Headland ("Russian Doll"), the show explores a world of "shadowy secrets and emerging dark side powers" against the backdrop of the High Republic era. Sinister as that synopsis sounds, Headland felt it her duty as a queer artist to inject some camp into the series with characters like Keen's Jedi, whom Keen described as "David Bowie meets 'Star Wars': I have a little mullet, I have horns, it's cute." Headland added:
"As a queer filmmaker, you're gonna see some camp. Inevitably! But I would say that tonally, our references are darker."
A whole new world of Force users
If you're trying to picture Dafne Keen's "Star Wars" character right now, just know that she was directly inspired by the flaming-haired Rystáll Sant (seen in the above photo). Played by Mercedes Ngoh, the female human-Theelin singer/dancer appeared in the Jabba's palace dance number from the Special Edition of "Return of the Jedi" and memorably flirted with Boba Fett during their brief encounter. Being a gay woman who was still in high school when the Special Edition versions of the original trilogy released in 1997 (and was writing "Star Wars" fan-fiction in her spare time, as she confessed to Empire), it's perhaps no mystery as to why Rystáll made an impression on Leslye Headland.
Keen's far from the only actor in "The Acolyte" playing a not-entirely-human Force user, mind you. "Russian Doll" alum Rebecca Henderson (who's married to Headland) is also starring as Vernestra Rwoh, a green-skinned character who's shown up before in the High Republic novels and is described by Henderson as "an elder Jedi Master." Joonas Suotamo, who served as the late Peter Mayhew's body double as Chewbacca in "The Force Awakens" before replacing him in the role, will further round out the ensemble as the Wookiee Jedi Kelnacca. The character will be the first of his kind in live-action, although we've previously seen Force-using citizens of Kashyyyk in animation (most recently, the Youngling Gungi in the second season of "The Bad Batch").
The Jedi, the Sith, and those in-between
Given that it takes place long before the decline and collapse of the old Jedi Order, it only makes sense that "The Acolyte" will focus on Force-sensitive individuals in general. Among the human members of Team Jedi on the show is "Russian Doll" actor Charlie Barnett, who confirmed his character is specifically a Jedi Knight while teasing that Dafne Keen's youthful Force-wielder "could definitely kick my ass." Dean-Charles Chapman of "Game of Thrones" and "1917" fame is also playing a Jedi whom his co-star Jodie Turner-Smith said has "great hair." I mean, what else do you need to know?
Speaking of Turner-Smith, the "Queen & Slim" star affirmed that her character can use the Force before adding, "but I'm not a Jedi or Sith." Carrie-Anne Moss's character was also shown to possess some Midi-chlorian-related abilities during the "Acolyte" footage screened at the 2023 "Star Wars" Celebration, although her alliances remain a mystery for the moment. Finally, there's "The Good Place" veteran Manny Jacinto, who plays a "regular guy trying to have a good time" who gets swept up in the show's action. I'm basically picturing Jason Mendoza in the "Star Wars" universe and throwing makeshift Molotov cocktails to ward off any Sith he encounters (and I'm not upset about it).
With Force-wielders spanning a wide array of alignments on the scale from good to evil, "The Acolyte" has the potential to go beyond the superficial, binary depiction of the Force that's typically characterized the live-action "Star Wars" films and TV shows. ("Star Wars" animation, per usual, is once again ahead of the curve in that respect.) Fingers crossed, that will be the case when the series makes its way onto Disney+ at a yet-to-be-announced date in 2024.