Star Wars: The Acolyte Star Confirms A Queer Character 'Crush' You May Have Missed
The High Republic-era "Star Wars: The Acolyte" takes place an even longer time ago than other live-action projects in the "Star Wars" story and features original characters as opposed to "Star Wars: Legends" names and legacy characters, but those are not the show's only claims to franchise notoriety. Creator Leslye Headland has been open about her intention to bring LGBTQ+ sensibilities to the galaxy far, far away. "People have told me that it's the gayest 'Star Wars,' and I'm frankly ... into it," she joked in a joint interview with "The Acolyte" star Amandla Stenberg with The Wrap.
In the wake of the show's Episode 4, "Day," a new queer aspect of the series seems to have arisen in the shape of some pretty unmissable flirting between Sol's (Lee Jung-Jae) current and former students, Jecki Lon (Dafne Keen) and Osha Aniseya (Stenberg).
In an interview with Decider, Keen was delighted to address the issue of whether her character has romantic feelings toward Osha. "I am so happy you asked that because this is my favorite question ever," she said. "I think, for Jecki, it's very confusing because as a Jedi you're not allowed to have feelings for other people. And I think ... I think she ... Hehehe, I think she does. I don't know if I'm allowed to say that, but I think she does."
Dafne Keen based her performance on her interpretation of Jecki's feelings toward Osha
"Star Wars: The Acolyte" may or may not choose to further explore the relationship between Jecki and Osha, but Dafne Keen has clearly spent some time considering the issue. After all, it directly affects her character, and as such, she told Decider that she chose to play Jecki's interactions with Osha in a way that conveyed a clear fondness.
"Jecki's such a young character," Keen said, analyzing the Jedi Padawan. "She's an 18-year-old, but she's not a normal 18-year-old. Like she hasn't gone to school and she hasn't had interactions with other like people. So it's her first real experience, I think, of those kinds of feelings and almost the guilt and confusion that comes with it. She's such a controlled, like self-judging, like perfect student, that I think it's also almost self-hatred that comes from having those feelings and the kind of constriction, but also the inevitable magnetism that she has towards Osha because of that."
Osha has quite a lot on her plate with her twin sister, Mae (also Amandla Stenberg), and her mysterious master. However, if "The Acolyte" allows her some time to explore more romantic avenues in her life, viewers can at the very least count on the fact that Keen has done her homework on this potential plotline.
For more on "Star Wars: The Acolyte," be sure to check why the Force is strong with this series, and why "The Acolyte" is ripping "Star Wars" fans apart.