It’s no secret that George Lucas was inspired by Asian culture to form what we know as Star Wars. Eastern philosophy has also played a role in creating The Force and many of the film’s character elements, including character names and places.

A fan of Akira Kurosawa, Lucas has credited the Japanese director’s 1958 film The Hidden Fortress as an influence for Star Wars. Lucas also famously asked Japanese actor — and frequent Kurosawa-collaborator — Toshiro Mifune to originate the character of Obi-Wan Kenobi, which Mifune regrettably turned down.

The Star Wars franchise continued with its multiple trilogies without an Asian lead in the films — and very few in the television series that followed. That is until now with Star Wars: The Acolyte. Starring Lee Jung-Jae as Jedi Master Sol and Amandla Stenberg as his former student-turned-enemy, The Acolyte sees people of color and women leading the series. Though showrunner Leslye Headland didn’t do this intentionally — she knew who she wanted for the roles and got everyone she wanted. The series having Asian leads crossed her mind after the fact. 

“It must have been in the back of my mind,” Headland admits. “At the time, that wasn’t my thought process. I had one idea for every role. There was no casting process. I wanted Amandla [Stenberg]. I wanted [Lee Jung-Jae]. I wanted Manny [Jacinto] — Manny, especially. I have no other ideas. So, it must have been in the back of my mind as we leaned into it.”

Following Lucas’ example of using practical effects and leaning into Star Wars’ initial inspiration, Headland incorporated the wuxia genre — Chinese fictional storytelling using martial arts — into the series. Rather than the space western feel from The Mandalorian and Rebels, she wanted the series to feel more like “East Meets Jane Austen,” giving the story a more “romantic or female” aspect. 

“It has almost like The Shaw Brothers meets Jane Austen,” Headland tells The Nerds of Color. “Even when [director] Ang Lee was explaining Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon to Michelle Yeoh, he said, ‘It’s like Sense and Sensibility.’ That’s really what it is on top of all of this incredible action that the cast was able to execute.”

Headland also drew from Japanese anime, including Cowboy Bebop. As an anime fan, she wanted the feel of the series for The Acolyte. “It’s one of those things where I remembered where I was when I finished [the anime], and I screened it for the writer and the designer so they can understand [where I was coming from].”

With The Acolyte, Headland has called it a love letter to Kurosawa’s films, including Rashomon and Yojimbo, and her admiration for wuxia-style films. Blending that with Star Wars canon wasn’t easy, but as a super fan, she incorporated epic Jedi battles and what she loved about The Clone Wars into live-action. 

“I think when you love something this much, and you have so much reverence for it, it’s difficult to find your own way,” Headland explains. “I felt the best I could do was lean on the things I love the most about Star Wars.”

Star Wars: The Acolyte premieres with two episodes on June 4 on Disney+.