Carrie-Anne Moss Shows How New "Force-fu" Fighting Style of Star Wars Works
In The Acolyte Carrie-Anne Moss is giving her famous Matrix motions a Force-powered spin. Set almost 100 years before the events of Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, The Acolyte will expose viewers to a completely fresh slate of Jedi Masters working during the height of the High Republic era. Best known from the Matrix series as Trinity, Moss has been hired to perform Jedi Master Indara. Previously disclosing that Indara's persona was influenced by Moss's Matrix character, series producer Leslye Headland has even referred to her as "Trinity with a lightsaber."
Moss discussed the special mix of martial arts and Jedi Force skills used by her character—often referred to as "Force-fu—during a recent interview on Good Morning America. Clarifying that although the battle scenes in her character mostly follow conventional kung fu, a special choreographer was on set to assist Moss in deciding how Indara would combine usage of the Force into the sequence. See her thoughts on the video below.
Ahsoka Introduced Force-Fu, But This Is So Much Cooler
Although Moss's Force-Fu sequence hinted at in The Acolyte teaser presents a fresh perspective on how a Jedi can employ the Force, this is not the first time Star Wars has dabbled with the Force-assisted martial arts technique. The stranded Jedi Ezra Bridger (Eman Esfandi) can also be shown using a similar fighting style against Shin Hati (Ivanna Sakhno in 2023's Star Wars: Ahsoka). But if Ezra apparently adopted the combat technique only because he lacked his own lightsaber, Moss's Master Indara seems to favor drawing her weapon.
Not only would Master Indara be more skilled in combining Force tactics with more conventional fighting styles, but as a Jedi Master whose depth of training and experience would much exceed Ezra's own, she would also be far more tuned to the core principles of the Jedi order. Indara's choice to rely on Force-fu instead of sparking her own lightsaber harkers back to the basic Jedi principle "a Jedi uses the Force for knowledge and defense," directly repeating the idea first expressed by Yoda in The Empire Strikes Back. Never for assault.
The Affective Power of The Matrix
You know how they discuss the kung fu type of Force field, thus I believe the energy of a Jedi with that. That's a great concept; we all have this energetic system, and these Jedi are training to have that energetic system. That was rather fascinating; as a meditator, I find this idea appealing.
On set, they had a woman who guided you in finding your method of doing that. Bring that force in, and they applied plenty of kung fu motions. The fighting is essentially based in kung fu, then just finding your technique of applying the Force. Though I did have some assistance, I simply trusted that I would know.
The Acolyte: Entering a New Star Wars Era
Star Wars: The Acolyte, the next High Republic Era TV series, will feature fresh characters among them Jedi Master Indara by Carrie-anne Moss. Set in the Star Wars world during the conclusion of the High Republic Era, the drama follows the Jedi and the Galactic Empire as they were most powerful.
Investigating various crimes, this sci-fi thriller sees a former Padawan reunite with her former Jedi Master as they uncover events all pointing to darkness bursting from beneath the surface and ready to bring about the death of the High Republic.
The Shape of Force-Fu: Future
Furthermore, it is not coincidental that Moss herself is using the fighting technique; Headland's planned throwback to her appearance in The Matrix has previously been noted. Though the idea of "Trinity with a lightsaber" excites sci-fi enthusiasts of all stripes, whether The Acolyte's usage of Force-Fu will be as memorable as Trinity's kung fu moves in The Matrix remains to be seen.
June 4 sees the Acolyte premiere on Disney+.
