Meet the cast of Andor, prequel to Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

By David Craig

Published: Wednesday, 21 September 2022 at 12:00 am

Prepare to make the jump to lightspeed as it’s time we returned to a galaxy far, far away, this time to witness a dark and suspenseful origin story for Rogue One’s breakout star Cassian Andor (Diego Luna).

The character enthralled fans in his first appearance, displaying a staunch commitment to the Rebel Alliance and a willingness to do morally questionable things in service to their struggle.

Due to the way that Rogue One ended, fans feared they had seen the last of the character, but instead Disney Plus series Andor will give us the most detailed exploration of his complex past we could have possibly hoped for.

From his upbringing on a remote planet to his first run-in with the fledgling Rebel Alliance, Andor has a lot of ground to cover and will do so over 24 generously sized episodes (split across two seasons).

Get to know the key characters in Andor below, before tuning into the show weekly on Disney Plus. You can also check out our Andor review for more details on what to expect from the series.

Diego Luna plays Cassian Andor

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Diego Luna plays Cassian Andor in streaming series Andor
Disney

Who is Cassian Andor? Cassian Andor is a member of the Rebel Alliance who was instrumental in acquiring the Death Star plans; a major win which facilitated Luke Skywalker’s ultimate destruction of the horrifying space weapon. However, years before that fateful mission, he was far less interested in the idea of rebellion, with this series delving into what ultimately turned him into a committed freedom fighter.

What else has Diego Luna been in? Luna began his acting career in his home country of Mexico, rising through the industry alongside childhood friend Gael García Bernal (who will soon star in Marvel’s Werewolf by Night). Outside of Star Wars, he is known for his roles in awards favourite Milk, sci-fi thriller Elysium, romantic drama If Beale Street Could Talk and animation DC’s League of Super-Pets. On the small screen, he played Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo in Netflix’s Narcos: Mexico.

Genevieve O’Reilly plays Mon Mothma

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Genevieve O’Reilly plays Mon Mothma in Andor
Disney

Who is Mon Mothma? Mon Mothma is a politician who has been a member of the galactic senate since the days of the Republic and held her position after its downfall by pledging allegiance to the new Empire. However, in secret, she is aiding resistance forces and planning to fight back against the oppressive regime. Mon Mothma would go on to become a leading figure in the Rebel Alliance, as seen in 1983’s Return of the Jedi.

“Previously, we’ve seen her in an important but very public role as a senator, as a leader. This is the first time that we get to see the woman behind the role,” said O’Reilly in an interview with RadioTimes.com.

“That we get to see what she has to risk, what it costs, what she has to sacrifice, what she has to fight for… I’m thrilled for fans that they will get to meet a more fleshed out Mon Mothma.”

What else has Genevieve O’Reilly been in? Recently, O’Reilly has taken on dramatic television roles in Tin Star, Three Families and The Honourable Woman, while she had a more comedic recurring role on Matt LeBlanc sitcom Episodes. On the big screen, she had a small role in The Matrix sequels as Officer Wirtz, and also appeared in 2016’s The Legend of Tarzan, where she played the jungle hero’s mother.

Stellan Skarsgård plays Luthen Rael

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Stellan Skarsgård plays Luthen Rael in Andor
Disney

Who is Luthen Rael? Luthen Rael is an enigmatic new addition to the Star Wars franchise. When we first meet him in Andor, all we know is that he claims to be leading a mission that could inflict major damage on burgeoning Empire. However, he is cagey about his own role and allegiances, which leads Andor to become suspicious of his true intentions.

Skarsgård explained: “He’s complex and there’s a lot of contradiction in him, which attracts me because I really don’t like the idea of good and evil people. That sort of binary way of looking at humanity, I think, is an incredibly dangerous way to look at humans.

“So, I’m very grateful for the ambiguity of the character. He lives a kind of double life or maybe triple life, we don’t know. He actually is two characters in a way in this story, which makes him a lot of fun to play, going between those two, rather different, characters.”

What else has Stellan Skarsgård been in? Skarsgård has become a well known face in Hollywood cinema over the past decade, with a major role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Dr Erik Selvig. Last year, he also starred in sci-fi epic Dune as the evil Baron Vladimir Harkonnen. Previously, he was known as Bootstrap Bill Turner in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise and critically lauded for smaller scale work including Good Will Hunting, Amistad and Melancholia.

Adria Arjona plays Bix Caleen

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Adria Arjona plays Bix Caleen in Andor
Disney

Who is Bix Caleen? Bix is a longtime friend of Cassian Andor, although their relationship is on shaky ground when we meet her at the start of the show. She owns a salvage yard, which she inherited following the death of her parents, and is a highly skilled mechanic.

“Bix is super smart and she’s bold,” began Arjona to RadioTimes.com. “She’s a woman that’s incredibly brave. And as the manager of her own salvage yard, she goes hand in hand with just about anyone when it comes to bargaining or negotiating… And she has a complicated dynamic with Cassian.

“These people know each other, but you can sort of sense and feel that trust has been broken… She has created this stable life for herself and really wants to keep it that way, but this guy just keeps coming back and she has to make some strong decisions. She definitely makes a few that takes her on a bit of a journey.”

What else has Adria Arjona been in? At this point, Arjona will be well known to fans of sci-fi and fantasy. Her film credits include blockbuster sequel Pacific Rim: Uprising and superhero origin Morbius, while she is also known for television roles in Oz reimagining Emerald City and Neil Gaiman’s Good Omens. Among her other projects are Netflix Original action flicks 6 Underground, Triple Frontier and Sweet Girl, and the second season of HBO’s True Detective.

Denise Gough plays Dedra Meero

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Denise Gough plays Dedra Meero in Andor
Disney

Who is Dedra Meero? Dedra Meero is a supervisor within the Empire’s authoritarian Imperial Security Bureau, who is hellbent on tracking down Cassian Andor when he becomes a wanted man.

On what sets Dedra and fellow villain Syril Karn apart from earlier Star Wars villains like Moff Tarkin and Admiral Hux, actor Denise Gough had this to say.

“They’re both kind of mid-level. It’s not like they’re at the top, so you’re seeing the struggle to get them to there,” she told RadioTimes.com in an exclusive interview.

“And that’s what’s so exciting about playing them because they stop being baddies and they become people determined to… Dedra thinks she’s going to save the world, she’s going to save the Empire – that’s her mission.”

What else has Denise Gough been in? Gough’s recent television roles include Sky comedy Stella, Idris Elba series Guerrilla, psychological thriller Too Close and factual drama Under the Banner of Heaven. On the big screen, she is known for children’s fantasy film The Kid Who Would Be King.

Kyle Soller plays Syril Karn

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Kyle Soller plays Syril Karn in Andor
Disney

Who is Syril Karn? At the start of Andor, Syril Karn is working for a corporate authority partnered with the Empire to enforce order on the planet of Morlana One. It is there that Andor first comes to his attention. Following a humiliating attempt at capturing the fugitive, Karn becomes obsessed with exacting his revenge.

What else has Kyle Soller been in? Soller appeared in Aidan Turner’s beloved Poldark remake in the role of Francis, while his other British television projects include Silent Witness, Bounty Hunters and Brexit: The Uncivil War.

Fiona Shaw plays Maarva

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Fiona Shaw plays Maarva in Andor
Disney

Who is Maarva? Maarva is the adoptive mother of Cassian Andor, who raised him from a young age but is somewhat disappointed by the man he has grown into.

What else has Fiona Shaw been in? Shaw is one of the UK’s most celebrated actors, recently wowing viewers with her powerhouse performance in Killing Eve. She is also known for roles in My Left Foot, the Harry Potter film series and, most recently, BBC drama Baptiste.

Dave Chapman plays B2EMO

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B2-EMO appears in Star Wars series Andor
Disney

Who is B2EMO? B2EMO is a salvage droid who has belonged to Cassian Andor’s adoptive family for decades. As a result, he isn’t in great condition, with malfunctioning parts, a weak battery life and an unusual speech pattern.

What else has Dave Chapman been in? Chapman has frequently worked as a puppeteer, helping to bring BB-8 to life in the Star Wars sequel trilogy, while also operating characters on Spitting Image and The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance.

Forest Whitaker plays Saw Gerrera

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Forest Whitaker plays Saw Gerrera in Andor
Disney

Who is Saw Gerrera? Gerrera is a freedom fighter who was first introduced in animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars, before making his live-action debut in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. While he has fought alongside Republic heroes Obi-Wan Kenobi and Ahsoka Tano in the past, he is ultimately disowned by the Rebel Alliance for tactics deemed too violent and extreme.

What else has Forest Whitaker been in? Whitaker is an Academy Award-winning actor for his role in The Last King of Scotland. Good Morning, Vietnam, The Butler, Arrival and Marvel’s Black Panther are among his other film projects.

Andor episodes 1-3 are available to stream on Disney Plus from Wednesday 21st September 2022. New episodes weekly. Sign up to Disney Plus for £7.99 a month or £79.90 for a year.

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