Actor Lee Jung-jae trades Squid Game tracksuit for Jedi robes in Star Wars series The Acolyte

Lee Jung-jae never dreamt of stepping into the Star Wars universe, let alone play a Jedi Master.

So the South Korean actor was pleasantly surprised when he received a call from American film-maker Leslye Headland, asking if he was keen to do a screen test for a Jedi character she was creating for the new Star Wars series, The Acolyte.

“I was given scripts for two different characters. It felt like an audition when I went to London for the camera test,” said Lee, through an interpreter at a virtual press conference from Seoul on June 5.

The 51-year-old did not think much about it, as he thought it was just a “chemistry rehearsal” with the other cast members.

Ten days later, he was informed he got the role of Master Sol, the male lead in The Acolyte.

Lee admitted he felt the pressure of being one of the headliners of a Star Wars series, as well as the first Asian to play a Jedi Master. It was also his first English-speaking role.

The latest offering in the Star Wars science-fiction franchise marks the veteran performer’s Hollywood debut.

The Acolyte is set about 100 years before the events of the film Star Wars: Episode 1 – The Phantom Menace (1999). Anchored as a murder mystery, the story follows the respected Master Sol as he investigates a series of murders against the Jedi that involves his former apprentice (played by American actress Amandla Stenberg).

The eight-episode series is available on Disney+, with new episodes airing every Wednesday.

Lee has the South Korean Netflix drama Squid Game (2021 to present), which became a global phenomenon, to thank for this gig.

In 2022, he became the first Asian to win an Emmy for outstanding lead actor in a drama series, and the first person to win the honour in a non-English-speaking role. He will reprise his role as Seong Gi-hun, the troubled winner of the titular secret contest, in Squid Game’s second season, which is slated to premiere in December.

The Acolyte showrunner Headland, 44, knew Lee was perfect to play Master Sol after binge-watching Squid Game.

The writer-director of comedy film Bachelorette (2012) and comedy-drama series Russian Doll (2019 to 2022) said in various interviews that she was impressed by the leading man’s ability to switch from being formidable and intimidating to vulnerable and fragile with ease.

The pressure Lee felt at the start quickly melted away when he chose to focus on bringing Master Sol to life.

“I told myself that I’m just one of the characters in the Star Wars franchise,” he said.

It helped that The Acolyte was set in a different era from all the other Star Wars films and TV series. As it is a standalone show, he was able to create something new without any burden from the Star Wars legacy, Lee said.

Headland wrote a great script, he added, but there were certain aspects of Master Sol that Lee wanted to flesh out, such as bringing out his human side.

“I wanted to express his fears and regrets. I wanted him to be very expressive of his emotions,” Lee said.

He shared that he looked to Irish actor Liam Neeson’s portrayal of Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn in the Star Wars prequel film trilogy – The Phantom Menace, Attack Of The Clones (2002) and Revenge Of The Sith (2005) – for reference.

“Master Sol is a very senior Jedi. Who knows? Qui-Gon Jinn might have been Sol’s Padawan (apprentice),” Lee said with a laugh.

The Acolyte may be his Hollywood calling card, but Lee is an icon in South Korea, having won countless accolades since becoming an actor in 1993.

He also made his directorial debut in 2022 with the South Korean action thriller The Hunt, which saw him receiving the Best New Director award at the prestigious Blue Dragon Film Awards that year.

Lee expected to experience a different film production style while shooting The Acolyte.

“I was eager to learn new ways of working, as an actor and a director, but I was surprised that it was quite similar to how it was done in South Korea,” said Lee, adding proudly that it showed that South Korea’s film-making industry has “advanced so much”.

Filming the series in the UK took about 10 months, said Lee, who had never been overseas for such a long period. Initial adjustments to being in a foreign country were difficult, but it was not as challenging as tackling the all-English dialogue.

He thanked his cast members and crew – who affectionately called him JJ – for their patience, as they knew English was not his first language.

“I had two dialect coaches on top of an English tutor to work on my pronunciation, enunciation and nuances,” said Lee.

“I really paid attention to how I spoke. We had four months of training in London, so I had enough time to get into the speech rhythm.”

He added that The Acolyte was among the many offers he received outside South Korea, but stressed that his work ethic has not changed.

“Yes, Squid Game has made a significant change to my career, but I always focus on creating immersive characters.”

He hopes viewers will take to Master Sol, especially the passionate Star Wars fans who may not appreciate an Asian Jedi.

“To be part of a decades-long franchise is amazing,” he said.

The Acolyte is available on Disney+.