Working the Runway

Host Kristin Baver welcomes executive producer Leslye Headland to the Star Wars Celebration LIVE! stage, praising her for an entrance that was fashion show worthy. Headland laughs and explains her mindset for walking out in front of the massive crowd. She shares that she tries to treat everything as if she is on RuPaul’s Drag Race, adding that her inner monologue is simply to “work the runway, work the runway.”

Bringing the High Republic to Life

Baver highlights that The Acolyte is the very first project to bring the High Republic era into live action. Headland shares her excitement and notes that she grew up heavily invested in the Expanded Universe publishing. She explains her goal is to marry the “high concept beautifully rendered stories” of the publishing world with the “pulpy action” fans love in live-action Star Wars. She also relishes the challenge of bridging the visual and aesthetic gap between the Jedi of the High Republic and the Jedi fans meet later in The Phantom Menace.

A Wookiee Jedi

Reflecting on the Studio Showcase panel from the previous day, Baver mentions that Headland was brought on stage by a Wookiee Jedi. Headland proudly confirms that the character is a Wookiee Jedi Master named Kelnacca, played by fan favorite Joonas Suotamo. She admits she couldn’t pass up the idea of having a Wookiee Jedi in live-action, noting that as soon as it was established as a possibility in the High Republic lore, her immediate reaction was to get it into the show.

A Story from the Villains’ Perspective

When asked what will surprise fans about this specific era, Headland explains that the show takes place at the tail end of the High Republic phase, moving closer to George Lucas’s prequel era. She originally pitched the show to Kathleen Kennedy as a way to explore how the Jedi transition from their Age of Enlightenment to who they become in Episode I. To do this, Headland chose a completely unique angle. She explains that by telling a story about Star Wars from the perspective of the villains, it allows the audience to see the subtle shifts in the Jedi Order when the bad guys are heavily outnumbered.

A Spiritual Journey

The interview concludes with a deeply emotional and vulnerable moment. Headland chokes up as she tells the cheering crowd, “Star Wars saved my life.” She acknowledges that while fans are spoiled with media now and might not love every single project, the core of the franchise remains incredibly meaningful. She beautifully summarizes that Star Wars is “always always always about the spiritual journey of what it is to become who you are.” Visibly moved, she expresses her profound gratitude for the opportunity to tactilely create something in a universe that is beyond her wildest dreams.