By Griff Griffin
Entertainment Reporter
Lee Jung-jae says he was "shocked" after racist backlash to Star Wars series The Acolyte.
The actor, who plays the first ever Asian Jedi in the live-action Disney+ show, recently shared his thoughts on toxic fan harassment.
"My feelings were hurt," Lee tells Vanity Fair. "Especially for Leslye Headland—her feelings must have hurt a lot."
Lee Jung-jae's part was also his first English-speaking role. In fact, he learned English just to play Jedi Master Sol, a high-ranking master based in the Jedi Temple on Coruscant. His cast mates included Amandla Stenberg, Jodie Turner-Smith and Manny Jacinto, with Leslye Headland acting as showrunner.
After middling reviews and poor viewership, however, Disney cancelled the series in August, meaning we're unlikely to see Lee Jung-jae reprise his role. The actor isn't bitter, though, and has a bright outlook on the future. People might even revise their views on The Acolyte, he suggests.
"I can only have faith that racism will end someday, even though it's going to be hard. For some work, it takes time to gain traction, and I have strong hopes that people will like it as time passes."
"As long as I am thankful, all things will work out...Fandom comes along with my career. This is the nature of it, so I can't take it for granted. No matter what, I'm always thankful."
Next for Lee Jung-jae is the highly anticipated Squid Game season 2. The deadly gameshow drama, in which Seong Gi-hun returns as a competitor to enact revenge against the show's creators, premiers December 26, 2024 on Netflix.
English (US) ·