The Acolyte Showrunner Clarifies Misunderstanding about Force Witches

The creator of The Acolyte, Leslye Headland, has addressed certain fans who spread a misunderstanding about the series’ Force Witches.

The third episode of The Acolyte introduced the audience to a group of witches who possessed the power of the Force and were responsible for raising Osha and Mae, the series’ surprise antagonist.

Despite the coven as a whole assisting with the twins, it was Mother Koril and Mother Ansieya who served as their main mothers, leading viewers to speculate about a potential queer relationship being featured on the show during Pride Month.

Despite the widespread belief, Headland argues that this interpretation of their relationship is a major misunderstanding. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, she states, “To label them as simply lesbians is oversimplifying the story. It shows a lack of attention to the depth of their relationship.”

Mother Ansieya and Mother Koril in The Acolyte — Lucasfilm/Disney

As a gay woman, she explained, “Their society is matriarchal, so it’s natural for there to be a close relationship between two women. However, their sexuality may be perceived as queer because there are no men in their community. This aspect may have been driven by the plot.”

The notion that The Acolyte plays a more prominent role in the LGBTQ+ representation in the Star Wars universe originated from an interview clip where The Wrap referred to The Acolyte as the most queer-focused installment in the franchise.

Headland and lead actress Amandla Stenberg supported the statement by playfully highlighting the LGBTQ+ representation in both the show and the entire franchise.

“I do not think I have produced content that can be labeled as queer with a capital Q.”

Although The Acolyte was not written with the intention of being overtly queer, Headland made sure to emphasize that she did not want to exclude any queer Star Wars fans who saw themselves represented in the show.

“Headland expressed her pride in being a gay woman and achieving this accomplishment. She also stated that she does not want to reject any queerness that may be present in her content if it is referred to as queer. Headland further added that she would be proud to create something that serves as inspiration for queer individuals.”

Catch the latest episodes of The Acolyte on Disney+ every Tuesday. For those craving more Star Wars content, be sure to stay updated on the release date for Andor Season 2 and Tales of the Jedi Season 2. Additionally, don’t miss out on new movies coming in June and the exciting lineup of TV shows available to stream this month.