Star Wars: The Acolyte has had several standout performances so far, and one of the most notable came from Charlie Barnett, who plays a Jedi Guardian. Barnett has been a standout, but he’s just one member of The Acolyte‘s cast of characters, which is jam-packed with talented actors and interesting characters. From Amandla Stenberg’s mysterious Mae to Dafne Keen’s part-Theelin Jecki Lon, there are plenty of compelling figures in The Acolyte. Still, though, Barnett’s character has been among the most popular of them, and there’s a good reason for that.

Barnett has been consistently acting since 2010, when he appeared in an episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, but he’s had a very successful career since. He’s appeared in several critically acclaimed movies like We Are Gathered Here Today, where he played Max Stone, as well as successful shows like Chicago Fire, where he played series regular Peter Mills. Barnett brings a lot of acting experience to his role in The Acolyte, which is likely a big reason his character is one of the most popular Jedi on the show.

Charlie Barnett Plays Yord In Star Wars: The Acolyte

In The Acolyte, Barnett plays Yord Fandar, a Jedi Knight and Guardian with a big personality. There are several parts of Yord that stand out, from his historic yellow lightsaber, which he ignites quite often, to the attention he pays to his own appearance, as he even steams his robes. Many viewers found him relatable, and he’s even amassed a group of fans who call themselves the “Yord Horde.” Much of Yord’s likability comes from Barnett’s portrayal of him, though, as he’s mastered the slightly arrogant and stuck-up yet very naive and genuine act. Barnett even manages to make Yord’s reverence for the rules quite endearing.

This Isn’t The First Time Charlie Barnett Has Worked With Leslye Headland

The Acolyte is largely the brainchild of its showrunner, Leslye Headland. She’s had quite a bit of creative control, and the fact that she chose Barnett to play Yord makes sense, given the actor and writer have worked together in the past. Barnett previously starred as Alan Zaverri in Russian Doll, a show that Headland worked on as a co-creator and showrunner. It’s not at all uncommon for creators to find an actor they enjoy working with and incorporate them into other projects, which seems to be the case for Headland, especially given Barnett’s stellar performance in Russian Doll.

While he has worked with Headland in the past, Barnett’s work speaks for itself and proves he has enough experience to excel as Yord. The young Jedi Knight could easily have come across as annoying, but Barnett’s acting abilities transformed Yord’s arrogance and sass into endearing qualities, and he’s become a fan-favorite as a result. It should be interesting to see what the rest of The Acolyte has in store for Yord, and how Charlie Barnett can continue to charm audiences in the role.