Diego Luna and Tony Gilroy explain why Andor was a 'risk' for Star Wars
- TV Show
The 2023 Emmy nominations brought good news to a galaxy far, far away.
Andor, the Star Wars series about Diego Luna's burgeoning rebel, scored eight Emmy nominations Wednesday, including a coveted nod for Outstanding Drama Series. Ever since the show premiered in September on Disney+, it's earned raves for its thoughtful, ambitious tone — forging a fresh new path in a galaxy crowded with films, TV series, and countless spin-offs.
Speaking to EW shortly after the nominations were announced, star Luna and showrunner Tony Gilroy opened up about the series' accolades — and the overwhelming fan response to Cassian Andor's origin story.
"That doesn't happen often, where you can be part of something you really believe in that also becomes successful," Luna said, speaking via Zoom just a few hours after Emmy nominations were announced. "That equation doesn't happen often in life, where what you care about and put everything into also happens to connect with others. And this show has connected in so many ways."
"We made that first season through COVID, sort of hiding in Pinewood [Studios], without focus groups or any real audience," Gilroy added later, speaking separately by phone. "By the time it was released, we were really curious what people were going to say. The last 10 months have been a pretty solid affirmation of all the hard work that a lot of people put into it, and this is just another chapter in that feel-good process."
Andor is set several years before the events of Rogue One, exploring how Cassian made his way into the newly formed Rebel Alliance. Like any Star Wars show, there are plenty of droids, spaceships, and distant planets — but Andor also deviated from the galactic mold, telling a more political, character-driven story. It was a massive undertaking, Gilroy noted, both in terms of size and story. And for parent company Disney, Andor was anything but a sure bet.
"The challenges of this show are epic," Gilroy said. "The scale of it, the expense of it, the risk of it for Disney and Lucasfilm… And there was a responsibility for the creators of the show to try and deliver and hit our deadlines and keep reaching for things. By the time we're done, I guess we'll have made eight movies. It's kind of extraordinary."
A second and final season is now in the works, expected to debut in August 2024. The new season will lead up to the events of Rogue One, and Luna said it will follow a similar format as the first season, breaking the story up into several multi-episode arcs.
"The confidence we have this season is different," the actor added. "It feels good to go to set knowing what you want to do and knowing someone out there cares about it, you know?"
Still, there's one notable face missing from the set this season: Gilroy stepped away from his writing and producing duties on May 1, when the Writers Guild of America strike began. With the writers' strike continuing — and with SAG-AFTRA on the verge of its own strike — Gilroy told EW that he's eager for the studios to make a deal so he can get back to work.
"I'm really an exile from the show," he said. "I'm hopeful that people come to their senses. And when I say 'people,' I mean the companies. I hope they come to their senses and realize that the actors and writers are working to save this industry. It's time for people to wake up and realize that this amazing industry that America built — one of the greatest industries it's ever created — is in jeopardy."
Both Luna and Gilroy noted that Andor is a show about community and collective action, themes that feel especially relevant at the moment. In fact, the episode "One Way Out," written by Beau Willimon, just scored an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Writing. It's a story about a prison labor uprising — and it's taken on a particular resonance in 2023.
"What does Andy Serkis say?" Gilroy added. "I'm paraphrasing, but he basically says, 'If we can fight as hard as we've worked, we're gonna win.' I know this word is overused, but this really is an existential moment. I'm really hoping that wiser heads prevail. This has to get resolved to save this industry."
"It's difficult to talk about the future of the show without having to talk about the future of our industry," Luna said. "I really hope things get solved and that the demands and needs get listened to, and that we soon wake up in an industry that is healthy and moving forward together."
The Emmys will air live Sept. 18 at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on Fox. See the full list of this year's nominations here.
For more Star Wars, listen to EW's podcast Dagobah Dispatch, featuring exclusive interviews with stars like Pedro Pascal, Rosario Dawson, Ewan McGregor, and more.
Sign up for Entertainment Weekly's free daily newsletter to get breaking TV news, exclusive first looks, recaps, reviews, interviews with your favorite stars, and more.
Related content:
Diego Luna returns to a galaxy far, far away with this Star Wars prequel series, following a young Cassian Andor before the events of Rogue One.
| type |
|
| rating | |
| genre |