Star Wars: 8 New Jedi Actors Announced for 2024 Disney+ Show

By Sam Hargrave Posted:
Star Wars Jedi Anakin Luke Obi-Wan

Eight actors have been confirmed to make their Star Wars debut in 2024's The Acolyte on Disney+ as new Jedi characters.

The new Star Wars series will serve as the first live-action look into the High Republic, an era when the Jedi were at their prime, as it explores the emergence of Dark Side powers in the final days of the pre-Phantom Menace era.

The Acolyte Confirms 8 New Jedi Actors

Eight members of The Acolyte's 11-actor cast have already been confirmed to play Jedi in the 2024 Star Wars Disney+ series, with one of them even playing a familiar character from the recent High Republic books.

Amandla Stenberg

Amandla Stenberg, Star Wars Celebration 2023
Amandla Stenberg

The Hunger Games' Rue actress Amandla Stenberg, now all grown up, takes the lead for The Acolyte as a former Padawan who will reconnect with her Jedi Master as they investigate a series of crimes involving sinister forces.

Although Stenberg's character remains unnamed for now, she was spotted in the Star Wars Celebration exclusive trailer for the 2024 Disney+ show in a purple robe and a face mask.

There have even been rumors Stenberg may pull double duty on The Acolyte, potentially also starring as her force-sensitive twin who took a different route to her, becoming a Sith assassin as opposed to her leading Jedi apprentice. 

Lee Jung-jae

Lee Jung-jae, Star Wars Celebration 2023
Lee Jung-jae

Turning attention to the Jedi Master to Stenberg's former Padawan, that role will go to Squid Game star Lee Jung-jae, making his American debut in 2024 with The Acolyte. This also comes after he already threw some shade at the process, calling Korean productions "more efficient" than those in Hollywood.

Jung-jae is expected to serve as the male lead of the High Republic series, having made a brief appearance teaching younglings in the Celebration trailer. The Squid Game breakout was also spotted on set in Jedi robes during the 2022 filming.

Carrie-Anne Moss

Carrie Anne-Moss
Carrie Anne-Moss

Veteran actress Carrie-Anne Moss joins the Star Wars galaxy in The Acolyte as a Jedi who was Amandla Stenberg’s former Padawan seemingly attempted to assassinate in a bar in the trailer - perhaps adding credence to rumors Stenberg will also play a villainous Sith assassin in the series.

Moss has a long history in Hollywood going back to the '90s when she had her breakout role as Trinity in The Matrix franchise. Since then, Moss has even tapped into the Marvel game, having played attorney Jeri Hogarth across several of "The Defenders Saga" series on Netflix, most notably Jessica Jones.

Dafne Keen

Dafne Keen, His Dark Materials
Dafne Keen

An exciting addition to the cast comes with Dafne Keen as a self-proclaimed "pretty badass" alien Jedi who wields lightsabers. In set photos, Keen had a lot of practical work done to create her alien look, with her also shown to be wielding a blaster there, suggesting she will be balancing shooting with her lightsabers.

Keen has quickly become a well-known figure in Hollywood, despite having only appeared in four projects. Her biggest role yet came with her debut in Logan as X-23, and she also plays a starring role as Lyra in HBO's His Dark Materials.

Joonas Suotamo - Kelnacca

Joonas Suotamo
Joonas Suotamo

Joonas Suotamo isn't a newcomer to Star Wars, having played Chewbacca in the sequel trilogy, but this time around he will play the Wookiee Jedi Master Kelnacca. The Finnish actor already expressed how he always "wanted to be a Jedi," so he couldn't wait to take on his second Wookiee role in The Acolyte.

Suotamo is one of few confirmed to be a Jedi Master in the series, and he will actually play the first-ever live-action Wookiee Jedi. Although fans have already met Jedi Padawan Gungi on the animation side across The Clone Wars and The Bad Batch, which revealed him as yet another survivor of Order 66.

Rebecca Henderson - Vernestra Rwoh

Rebecca Henderson
Rebecca Henderson

Russian Doll's Rebecca Henderson is currently the only one of The Acolyte's stars who have been confirmed to play a familiar Jedi character, that being Vernestra Rwoh, who made her debut in Star Wars' recent High Republic books.

Vernestra Rwoh has become a fan-favorite of the High Republic publishing effort, having been introduced as a teenage Jedi Knight - one of the youngest ever - but will now appear far later in life as she makes her live-action debut in 2024.

Dean-Charles Chapman

Dean-Charles Chapman, 1917
Dean-Charles Chapman

Coming off roles in 1917 and Game of Thrones, 25-year-old English actor Dean-Charles Chapman has had a rising career over recent years.

Now, he joins his second major franchise after his adventures as Tommen Baratheon in Westeros, entering the Star Wars galaxy as a Jedi who was seen on set in the classic brown robes and a curly hairstyle, although details on his character are vague for now.

Charlie Barnett

Charlie Barnett, Russian Doll
Charlie Barnett

Details remain scarce on Arrow actor Charlie Barnett's new Jedi character, although he has been described as a young Jedi Knight with "cool hair" who will wield a yellow lightsaber in the 2024 series.

Both Rebecca Henderson and Charlie Barnett are alums of Russian Doll, a Netflix original co-created by The Acolyte showrunner Leslye Headland.


The Acolyte has yet to set an official release date but is expected to arrive on Disney+ in 2024.

- In This Article: The Acolyte
Release Date
June 04, 2024
Platform
Actors
Amandla Stenberg
Dafne Keen
Jodie Turner-Smith
Genres
- About The Author: Sam Hargrave
Sam Hargrave is the Associate Editor at The Direct. He joined the team as a gaming writer in 2020 before later expanding into writing for all areas of The Direct and taking on further responsibilities such as editorial tasks and image creation.