Star Wars: The Acolyte's Jedi Master Torbin Is Unrecognizable Without Makeup
Contains spoilers for "The Acolyte" Season 1, Episode 2 — "Revenge / Justice"
"The Acolyte," set during the High Republic era of Star Wars, provides an opportunity to explore a different side of a galaxy far, far away. For a change of pace, the Jedi are on top, but there's someone lurking in the shadows killing them. Episode 2 sees this antagonistic presence, Mae (Amandla Stenberg), target Jedi Master Torbin, played by Dean-Charles Chapman. But that's easier said than done, as years under the Barash Vow have created a Force field around him.
Torbin's clearly a seasoned Jedi, as his face is marked with scars from a yet-unseen incident, making the relatively young actor appear far older than he is in real life. Chapman was born in 1997 but comes across much wiser and battle-hardened during his first "Acolyte" appearance. When fans look at his real face, they'll undoubtedly recognize him for his work on "Game of Thrones." He played two roles on the fantasy series. First, he portrayed Martyn Lannister on Season 3 before replacing Callum Wharry as Tommen Baratheon, starting with Season 4. The real reason for this "Game of Thrones" recast was due to Wharry aging out of the role.
Now, Chapman has joined another massive franchise with "The Acolyte." And despite what happens to him on Episode 2, there should be more of Torbin to come. An "Acolyte" trailer teasing how the Jedi are the true villains showcases a younger Torbin, with Chapman looking more like his natural self.
Dean-Charles Chapman got 'submerged' into his Acolyte character
While "Game of Thrones" and "The Acolyte" are certainly Dean-Charles Chapman's highest profile roles yet, he has many credits to his name. He appeared previously on "Into the Badlands" and had a part in the film "1917." But entering the Star Wars realm is a dream come true for many actors, and Chapman is no different. He spoke with Hollywood Insider at "The Acolyte" premiere and had this to say about his experiences filming the new series: "With this show, in particular, it was very practical. So it was very easy to become submerged in the scenery. And also, I've grown up with Star Wars, so it already feels very familiar."
Despite growing up with Star Wars, Chapman's tenure in this universe appears to be short-lived. When Torbin's introduced, he's undertaken the Barash Vow for years, effectively a vow of silence so that he can only commune with the Force. However, Mae offers him a way to cleanse his conscious by taking poison that will end his life, seemingly making things right with her in a cosmic sense. It's only here he breaks the vow and speaks with Mae momentarily before taking the poison.
A sequence like that shows why "The Acolyte" title is more dangerous than one would immediately assume. Torbin is clearly haunted by something from his past where death was the only thing that could atone for it in his eyes. Chapman may be unrecognizable as Jedi Master Torbin, but the performance, brief as it might've been so far, allows him to stand out in a series filled with engaging and unique characters.