AsThe Acolytes Tyler Durden figure, he wanted the Strangers appeal to go beyond just arms.
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Spoilers follow for the first season ofThe Acolytethrough the finale episode, which premiered on Disney+ on July 16.
His name isnt actually Qimir.
David Finchers R-rated cult classic may seem like an unexpected reference point for a live-actionStar Warsseries.
There was a version that we filmed where Osha and the Stranger actually kiss.
But we felt that it may have not been too earned at that moment.
I think it was just too early on, Jacinto says of the pairsfinal scene of the season.
The Stranger killed a bunch of her friends, and she just killed her fatherlike figure.
For them to have this sensual moment just didnt feel like it was appropriate.
Its just on the cutting-room floor.
But I suggested, Maybe not the kiss, but how about a hand-hold?
Jacinto is appreciative of the fan edits and fan art.
Theres a slight moment you could see it in his face.
I would love to explore more of that shame and vulnerability and fear.
This is who I am.
I shouldnt have to and Im not going to apologize for it.
Had you seenFight Clubbefore?Yes, I definitely watched it a long time ago.
And you also cant help but see a random Brad Pitt shirtless photo on any social media.
Itll come up every once in a while.
I wanted to ask you about the Strangers look, so lets get into it.
You cant really see his true expression because its being hidden behind this mop of hair.
A big inspiration we had was Toshiro Mifune.
Leslye actually showed me this.
[Holds up his cell phone and apicture of Mifunein the 1947 filmSnow Trail.]
Wet, oily theres this bang.
Its just dark and sexy and mysterious.
I was like, I dont think we should do that.
I would like to be as covered up as possible, becausearms.
Were not really hiding him anymore.
But I definitely am for less arms, as opposed to more arms.
Why would you prefer that?I dont have to work out as much.
I get to keep my shirt on; its like a secret win for me.
But it felt appropriate to have the arms out when the Stranger was unmasked.
Definitely working on it through therapy.
He has arms, but also hes saying things that are really philosophically compelling.
Theres something about someone whos so confident and so authentically himself that people are just automatically drawn to it.
Osha herself has had to like either her mom or the Jedi.
That really helped with the appeal in episode six along with the bath and the showing of skin.
When youre leaving that bathing scene carrying your huge duffel bag, you look so unbothered in your movement.
I was able to, through trial and error, figure out how he would speak.
A more anxious character automatically has a higher register, and thats where I fell with Qimir.
Hes masking himself as a drunk, so theres still a slurry-ness to it.
And theres also this playfulness I think the playfulness is what I kept throughout all these characters.
It was easy for the masked Stranger because I had the voice modulation.
When I got to the Stranger, that Tyler Durden character, it was more dropped in.
And that helped with the physicalization of the character, because I was relaxed.
Sol says, She was a child, and you say, You brought her here.
Yet youre doing all these bad things.
Im just calling you out on your wrongdoings.
We had to do it in a very playful way.
We were in Leslyes office, and Leslye said, And Mae says this.
And then she comes up to me: And then Qimir would say, and she points to me.
And Im like,Oh!
That came out of us kind of workshopping that scene together.
I remember suggesting that moment and Leslye being like, Yeah!
And then she kept it.
Thats the beauty of Leslye being such a great collaborator.
You said you suggested the finger touch.
What was the scene before your suggestion?Um …
I havent told this to anybody.
But there was a version where … oh God, I dont know if Im gonna …
Okay, Im just going to put it out there.
There was a version that we filmed where Osha and the Stranger actually kiss.
But we felt that it may have not been too earned at that moment.
I think it was just too early on.
The Stranger killed a bunch of her friends, and she just killed her fatherlike figure.
For them to have this sensual moment just didnt feel like it was appropriate.
Its just on the cutting-room floor.
But I suggested, Maybe not the kiss, but how about a hand-hold?
We were always mindful that this was never a prisoner-jot down situation.
She was being seduced, but a majority of these decisions were made through her own volition.
I know you trained for the episode-five fight for four months.
It looks like theres a lot of wirework involved in this episode-eight fight.
But that final battle wasnt there in the first iteration of episode eight.
It was a lot of pressure to get those scenes done.
The choreography in itself was, I truly believe, a character in this story.
I drew a lot of inspiration fromRurouni Kenshin, these Japanese live-action movies based on a manga.
The swordplay they have in these movies is incredible, but also the props are very light.
We took that risk, and I think its a risk that paid off.
oh manny jacinto is INSANE ?
!pic.twitter.com/PQi5638D99
You have a background in competitive hip-hop dance.
Was there any aspect of the fight scenes that felt like an extension of that?All of it.
I rehearsed the stunt sequences day in and day out, so I could do it in my sleep.
All of those fight sequences, Im so incredibly proud of being able to take them on.
The Stranger and Sol both fit the bill there.
Did you and JJ ever talk about that?No, we never really got into it.
I think its different because, you know, he comes from South Korea.
And its a completely different sort of experience, yeah.Not to say that he hasnt struggled with that.
But I think to him, its just, Yeah, of course Asian males are seen as desirable.
Of course theyre leading projects.
Its not just a little independent feature.
Its a huge IP thats been around for decades.
It really hit me.
Were waiting to learn if the show is going to be renewed.
and then the Stranger clocks that shes here and then he puts his mask on.
Theres a slight moment you might see it in his face.
I would love to explore more of that shame and vulnerability and fear in the next season.
