Ahead of his appearance at the 2022 Emmy Awards, celebrated Korean actor Lee Jung-jae is set to partner up with another streaming giant. On September 8, Deadline reported that the actor has landed the male lead in the upcoming Disney+ Star Wars series, The Acolyte. 

Joining an A-List Cast

The Acolyte takes viewers “into a galaxy of shadowy secrets and emerging dark-side powers in the final days of the High Republic era.” Much of the details of the series have been kept under wraps, including Lee’s character. According to Star Wars lore, an acolyte “can refer to individuals with force abilities who learn from a more experienced Sith Lord.”

Lee will star opposite Amandla Stenberg, who has recently starred in 2022’s Bodies Bodies Bodies and Dear Evan Hansen (2021). Also joining the cast is Jodie Turner-Smith. The British actress is best known for starring in After Yang (2022) and Queen & Slim (2019). 

Leslye Headland is the series’ director, writer, executive producer, and showrunner. Known for her work on Russian Doll and Seven Deadly Plays, Headland is the first female showrunner behind a Star Wars show.

The Disney+ Star Wars Universe

2023 will be a busy year for Disney+. The Acolyte is just one of the platform’s upcoming additions to its roster of live-action Star Wars shows. Following the success of The Mandalorian in 2019, Disney released The Book of Boba Fett (2021) and Obi-Wan Kenobi (2022). On September 8, Disney+ Day, fans were given a special look at the next original Star Wars series, Andor. 

Squid Game Continues to Steal the Show

After debuting to critical and commercial acclaim, Squid Game has brought Korean television onto the global stage. Last year, the series made history at the Golden Globes and the Screen Actors Guild Awards. “The director did mention that he would want the show to get popular in the United States, but we never imagined that it would blow up this big worldwide,” Lee told the New York Times in July.

The series continues to make history, earning 14 nominations at the 2022 Emmy Awards. Squid Game is the first non-English language series nominated for Outstanding Drama Series at the Emmys. The series has already taken home four Creative Arts Emmys, including one for Lee You-Mi as the Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series.

The series continues to make waves with an upcoming second season and a reality competition, Squid Game: The Challenge. 

What’s Next for Lee Jung-jae

Lee Jung-jae took the world by storm after his starring role in Squid Game. After the series’ completion, he joined co-star Jung HoYeon in signing with American talent agency Creative Artists Agency. The move to sign with the agency is part of Lee’s expansion onto the world stage as a fully-fledged creative. 

Lee’s latest project is the action-espionage film Hunt, which he stars in and directs. Following its 2022 Cannes Film Festival screening, Hunt was released in theatres on August 10, 2022, to domestic and international acclaim. Lee is also set to make an appearance with director Hwang Dong-hyuck on September 9, at the Los Angeles City Hall, in advance of the city’s official Squid Game Day.

Still can’t get enough of Lee Jung-jae? Fans can tune in on September 12, when he will present with Jung HoYeon at the Primetime Emmy Awards. Whether or not the duo takes home any awards, history has already been made.

Looking for more Korean entertainment news? Check out EnVi’s review of Extraordinary Attorney Woo here!

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