Russian Doll's Charlie Barnett in talks to join Star Wars series The Acolyte

The Hollywood Reporter has revealed that Charlie Barnett is now in final talks to join the ensemble of the new Star Wars series The Acolyte. The actor is best known for starring opposite Natasha Lyonne in Netflix’s acclaimed time travel dramedy Russian Doll, and has also been seen on the streamer in Special and You.

If confirmed, Barnett will be joining Amandla Stenberg (Bodies Bodies Bodies), Jodie Turner-Smith (After Yang), Manny Jacinto (The Good Place), and Lee Jung-jae (Squid Game) in the cast. He would also be reuniting with Russian Doll co-creator Leslye Headland, who is set to be the showrunner, writer, and director of The Acolyte. Barnett’s proposed character is apparently a supporting role, with Stenberg and Lee having previously been announced as the leads.

Plot details for The Acolyte have largely been kept under wraps so far. It has been described as a thriller, which lines up with Headland’s experience making a stylish mystery series. The show is set during the High Republic era of Star Wars lore, long before the primary stories in the franchise.

After the Skywalker saga wrapped up with The Rise Of Skywalker in 2019, the Star Wars universe has been sticking to the small screen; just this week, it was announced that Patty Jenkins’ proposed fighter pilot feature Rogue Squadron had been removed from Disney’s theatrical release schedule. The Disney+ shows have been digging into earlier eras of the galaxy far, far away, but mostly not so completely removed that they can’t include a digitally de-aged Mark Hamill. Next week, the platform launches Andor, a prequel series about Diego Luna’s character from Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, which was itself about the events leading up to A New Hope.