Lee Jung-jae can't believe he is in Star Wars.
One of South Korea's leading actors, Lee made history as a Primetime Emmy and SAG award-winner and a Golden Globe nominee for his work on Squid Game. Yet, he is overly exhilarated about the opportunity to feature in Star Wars: The Acolyte.
Set 100 years before Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, the Disney+ show premieres on June 5. Lee's Jedi Master Sol has already earned praise from the showrunners and co-stars and is expected to be a hit among the fans when the series airs.
The series follows Lee's character as he investigates a series of unprecedented Jedi murders. Disney Plus Korea released a special feature focusing on Master Sol with the release of the official trailer for The Acolyte on May 4.
In the special feature, Lee shared his feelings about joining the franchise. "I still can't believe the fact that I'm in Star Wars," he said. Lee added, reflecting on his childhood memories, "I can still remember, as a kid, being in awe seeing Star Wars for the first time on the big screen."
Offering a glimpse into his character, Lee labeled Master Sol as "a highly skilled fighter" with "a great sense of responsibility." He is also "willing to risk everything to protect peace," Lee added.
Leslye Headland, the show's creator, revealed that she picked Lee as her Master Sol after watching the actor on Squid Game, where he played the lead protagonist, Seong Gi-hun.
"He just ran the gamut of every single emotion," she added. "'JJ' knows how to switch from being formidable, and then switch to being heartbreaking. I don't know many actors that can do that."
Fellow lead Amandla Stenberg was also full of praise for Lee Jung-jae. "Lee Jung-jae just shines so beautifully in this role," she said. "He looks fantastic when he fights."
Star Wars: The Acolyte arrives on Disney+ June 4.