![The Acolyte’s Manny Jacinto Has One Situation To Return To The Star Wars Universe [Exclusive]](https://www.slashfilm.com/img/gallery/the-acolytes-manny-jacinto-has-one-condition-to-return-to-the-star-wars-universe/l-intro-1781387723.jpg "The Acolyte’s Manny Jacinto Has One Situation To Return To The Star Wars Universe [Exclusive]")
Final weekend I had the pleasure of interviewing Manny Jacinto on stage at Indiana Comedian Conference. Naturally his function in “Star Wars: The Acolyte” got here up, particularly in mild of Leslye Headland’s latest feedback to Empire Journal about nonetheless eager to do a second season of the present. I had to ask him if he would come again because the Stranger, the mysterious Sith who apprenticed underneath Darth Plagueis. His reply was enthusiastic, however he had one situation for returning:
“There isn’t any Stranger with out Leslye. It is the those who that assist construct this character, it is not simply me, it is like, the costume designers, it is our writers, it is all that stuff. It took a took a staff to construct the Stranger. I’d like to do it with them as effectively.”
Curiosity in “The Acolyte” is rising, too. Again in April 2026 it cracked the highest 10 on the Disney+ streaming community once more, exhibiting that folks nonetheless wish to watch it, regardless of what I’d characterize as a manufactured backlash. For his half, Jacinto discovered the renewed curiosity gratifying:
“Earlier than I would accomplished a conference it was actually powerful,” he mentioned in entrance of the assembled crowd. “There’s a whole lot of the net discuss, a whole lot of the keyboard warriors who I feel are the loudest ones and the nastiest ones. However, you come right here and get a lot love. And two issues: First, I hope that, Amandla [Stenberg] and Leslye know the way a lot individuals love the present. And second, I am simply so extremely happy with it. I went went on to this set and tried to take every part in and be current. I am so fortunate that I bought to step into this character and into that storyline and I am tremendous happy with what we did and also you by no means know what’ll occur.”
Qimir’s costume needed to be modified to cover the Stranger’s arms
Whereas I had him on stage, I could not let Manny Jacinto go with out speaking about “The Acolyte” in additional element past his curiosity in doing extra. One of many issues we talked about was the unimaginable costume design by Jennifer Bryan.
He took the chance to elucidate to me that his arms virtually gave away the key of the Stranger (a personality who was virtually tied to the Knights of Ren). He had accomplished a lot coaching and bulked his arms up that when he went into his costume becoming for Qimir, the alter ego of the Stranger, he needed to clarify to the costume designer why it wasn’t going to work.
“I advised Jennifer I am not model new right here. ‘I am simply saying, when you deliver the arms out now, that is a lifeless giveaway.’ So she checked out me and I…” At this level, Jacinto pantomimed flexing his biceps. “So I needed to present her after which we ended up overlaying up every part. As a result of Qimir’s arms versus the Stranger’s arms … The Stranger has me arms. Qimir, no.”
You may discover that, within the completed episodes, Qimir is all the time sporting very free, saggy clothes that makes him look very wiry and skinny, however the Stranger reveals off Jacinto’s physique. He helped the costume designers make completely the fitting name.
Manny Jacinto’s favourite Star Wars motion pictures
No dialog about “Star Wars could be full with out speaking about our favourite “Star Wars” motion pictures. When requested what his favourite installment of the franchise — outdoors of “The Acolyte” — was, Manny Jacinto took an extended second to suppose, and finally could not decide only one. He needed to break up his determination between two all-time favorites. “I imply, ‘Rogue One,’ as a result of we have been simply speaking about it, but in addition the stunt-choreographers that have been on that have been all a part of ‘The Acolyte.’ And that Darth Vader scene within the hallway? That was unimaginable.
“However I imply, I actually grew up on ‘The Phantom Menace.’ That one as effectively. Taking part in the ‘Pod Racer’ sport on N64? that was nice. So, these two. That is my reply.”
Within the meantime, we will nonetheless hope that “The Acolyte” continues in an effort to reply the entire mysteries it left dangling at its conclusion.
