Andor is an action-adventure series from the Star Wars universe. It is the fourth series in the Star Wars franchise. The series is a prequel to the Star Wars: Rogue One film released in 2016. Tony Gilroy created this series. He is a filmmaker and co-writer of the Rogue One film.
The character of Cassian Andor was first introduced in the movie Rogue One. We find Andor in a supporting role in the film. The creators later introduced this character as a protagonist in the series Andor. The series is completely based on Andor.
Andor is a story about an orphan abandoned on a planet called Kenari. He works as a smuggler for the Rebel Alliance. He later becomes a pilot and then a spy for the rebel alliance. The series captures Andor’s journey.
The filming of this series began in 2020. The filming was delayed due to the pandemic. Most of the filming was done in the United Kingdom. The filming was completed in 2021, and the series was released on September 21, 2022. Season one has 12 episodes.
Diego Luna played the role of Andor in Rogue One as well as the Andor series. The series includes several notable actors like Kyle Soller, Adria Arjona, and Fiona Shaw.
Also read: How To Watch Andor Episodes, The New Star Wars Show?
Let’s find out some fascinating facts about this popular series.
1. Andor is a prequel to Star Wars: Rogue One.
The Andor series is set five years before the Rogue One film. Cassian Andor appears for the first time in Rogue One. This series explores the lives of Andor and several other characters.
Cassian dies in the Rogue One film. The director stated that the series is a prequel; everyone dies at the end, and people will watch it if they are interested. He claimed that the fact that Andor died should not affect his audience.
Tony Gilroy wanted to create a different series to illustrate Andor’s sacrifices. The development of Cassian Andor is explored in the series.
2. Unlike other Star Wars series, this one did not use Stagecraft technology.
Stagecraft is a cutting-edge technology employed in the Star Wars live-action series. This technology is known as The Volume in other countries. This technology is an advanced process that uses a sophisticated technique to create a live environment.
Instead of the green screen, this technology is used. It was used in the recently released series The Mandalorian and the Obi-Wan Kenobi. Andor did not use this technology, unlike other series.
The production crew constructed an entire city. The producers wanted to develop sets that looked realistic and authentic. So they built these sets instead of using the technology.
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3. The costumes are hand-dyed and hand-sewn.
Michael Wilkinson designed the costumes for the Andor series. He used practical effects instead of CGI and other effects. The team sewed all the costumes. They did not borrow costumes from other Star Wars projects.
The garments were hand-dyed as well to produce a special appearance. Wilkinson said that the Star Wars series never uses flashy and colorful outfits. He had to create different textures and palettes with the outfits.
We can see the variation in the texture of Andor’s outfits. He had to ensure the viewers could relate to the outfits in the given settings. They did not use the background costumes provided for reference as they wanted to create a completely different look according to the vision of Tony Gilroy.
4. Diego Luna never imagined he would be portraying Cassian in the Star Wars world.
Diego Luna portrayed the role of Cassian Andor in the film Rogue One. He played a small role in the film because it was not about Andor’s life.
The director, Gareth Edwards, approached Diego to play the role. He said that he was very happy and excited to play the role of Cassian in Rogue One but was not sure about being chosen for the series either.
Diego Luna knew that the director had already started working on the film. He eventually received a call congratulating him on being accepted into the Star Wars universe after five months of making audition recordings.
5. Cassian’sthe Star Wars trilogy inspired Cassian’s costumes.
Andor is mostly dressed in realistic outfits. He is seen wearing uniforms, jackets, and formal wear. All of the attire embodies Tony Gilroy’s vision.
Cassian’s outfit is a typical soldier’s outfit. In one of the scenes, Cassian can be seen in one of the sequences donning a blue parka. This outfit pays homage to the Empire Strikes Back movie. In the movie, Han Solo wears a coat, and Cassian’s outfit reminds us of the original coat.
The final look of Cassian in the movie is a shirt that is similar to that of Luke Skywalker in The Return of the Jedi. Another iconic Star Wars style is the khaki shirt worn in one of the film’s closing sequences.
The costume designers that designed the outfits of Andor worked hard to pay homage to the Star Wars trilogy while creating a new identity for Andor.
Also read Andor Teaser Trailer Breakdown.
6. Diego Luna underwent military preparation to do his stunts in the series.
Diego Luna did all of his stunts without using a stunt double. He was very excited to perform his stunts. However, the character requires a lot of physical effort.
Luna did a lot of research on his character. He needed to get in shape for his stunt work and character. For his role as Andor, Luna had to undergo a rigorous and brutal military training regimen for several weeks.
Diego Luna mentioned that he would go camping in the forest along with the crew as a part of survival training. After performing his stunts, he sustained several injuries but humbly acknowledged that the part was worthy of the effort.
7. The whole city of Ferrix was built for the series.
The Star Wars universe is known for its unique and huge sets. Many directors were amused by the technology that the crew used to film the series.
Apart from the huge sets, the production designer built an entire city for the Andor series. The city is named Ferrix. The city is known as a market city with shipyards, taverns, junkyards, and gambling halls.
One of the actors in the film mentioned that it is an actual city and described it as “three to five city blocks” of a real-life city. The actors often got lost in the huge outdoor city.
The volume technology was avoided for this reason. They needed huge sets, and Stagecraft technology had a limit to the size and space available. By creating this realistic environment, the team ensured the actors could perform well, benefiting the series.
The team took several months to construct the entire city. It also appeared in most scenes as the locations did not often change, unlike other series that featured different sets and locations. So the city played an important role in the series.
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8. The filming of the series was done in several dangerous locations.
The live-action series of the Star Wars universe focuses on darker times. Andor travels to different locations to fight his enemies. We get to see about ten of the places that Andor visits in the film.
While certain scenes were captured using technology, other scenes required the filmmakers to scout out new locations. One of the scenes where Andor had to climb a mountain was a single shot filmed on a very dangerous mountain in Scotland.
The location was exceedingly unsafe, making it difficult for the cast and crew to film. Diego Luna said the locations were like “being on another planet”.” The makers had to go to such an extent to get the perfect shot.
9. Season 1 covers one year of Cassian’s life.
Season one of the Andor series occurs five years before the Rogue One scenes. This indicates that it is a prequel and features the past life of Cassian Andor.
The 12 episodes of Season One cover one year of Andor’s life. Tony Gilroy said that the second season would cover the next four years. Diego Luna said that he was surprised to hear Andor’s backstory.
Season two will cover all the scenes in the next four years before the Rogue One scenes. He also mentioned that each year would be covered in three-episode arcs.
The episodes will also have a mini-story within themselves. Different directors direct these episodes.
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10. Along with Cassian, the series features several important characters.
The series is about Cassian’s life, but several other characters are also present. Cassian has more screen time than any other character, but the other characters also have prominence.
Some important characters include Mon Mothma, Saw Gerrera, and Syril Karn. Mon Mothma’s character is the main link between the Skywalker saga and the animated Star Wars Rebels. She is also quite influential in Coruscant’s political life.
Mothma’s character can be developed in the Star Wars universe through this series. Genevieve O’Reilly played the role of Mon Mothma. She claimed that her role is that of a very dignified and composed woman, but we get to see the private face of the woman behind the role.
Mothma’s story runs parallel with the story of Andor in the series. Forest Whitaker, who played the Saw Gerrera, is another important character in Rogue One. Additionally, he made several appearances in the Star Wars universe.
Syril Karn, another character we encounter throughout the show, is portrayed by Kyle Soller. The evolution of his character can be observed in the series.
Dedra Meero, a member of the Imperial Security Bureau, is another character explored in the series. In a recent interview, Tony Gilroy said he respects each character equally. This might be why he has given importance to the main lead and the other actors.
11. Cassian’s weapon is a Bryar pistol.
The Star Wars characters are known for their blaster pistols. Andor also has one such weapon. He uses a Bryar pistol that already made an appearance in Star Wars: Dark Forces in 1995. It is a well-known game in the Star Wars Legends continuity.
After the film Star Wars: Battlefront was released in 2015, the Bryar pistol was adapted into the official canon. It was first used by Clem Andor, who adopted Cassian Andor. This is the first series that marks the appearance of the blaster pistol.
The K-16 model in the Star Wars: Battlefront video game inspired the blaster. Later, the designers redesigned the pistol and added some extras. After that, it was named MW-20.
12. The cast enjoyed working in a real environment.
Andor did not use volume technology and shot scenes in real locations. This explains why the quality of the scenes was more realistic than in any other series.
The crew created practical sets for the series. In instances when it was not possible to make practical sets, CGI was used. Some landscapes were dangerous and included serious risks.
Some locations were just altered and modified for the scenes. Apart from all the hurdles the cast faced, they loved working in a live environment.
Diego Luna described that the set had things that were mechanical but seemed so real. Using the green screen, they saw several places instead of filming at a single location.
The series also uses a real environment instead of a futuristic galaxy. The cast loved that the characters were situated in such a beautiful space.
13. K-2SO will be revealed in season two.
K-2SO is a robot that appeared in Rogue One. He is the companion and co-pilot of Cassian Andor. Alan Tudyk provided his voice for the robot.
Tony Gilroy stated that the relationship between the robot and Cassian would be explored in season two of the series. He added that they ultimately had to reveal this particular story.
The robot is a droid, and his character is not revealed in season one of the series. The robot was created using CGI. Most of the fans of the robot were disappointed that it did not make an appearance in the series.
Later, Gilroy announced that the character would be introduced and explored in the episodes of season two.
14. Fiona Shaw was amazed by the design of her home in the series.
The makers of the show constructed buildings that appeared in the show. As we already know, an entire city was built for this purpose. The designers did amazing work on the construction.
The cast also mentioned the beauty of Ferrix City. The actress Fiona Shaw, who portrayed Maarva Andor, is the mother of Cassian Andor. In one interview, Fiona said she was astounded to see Ferrix City.
The cast can take a walk around the streets of the city. She cited it as one of her most thrilling experiences while filming. When she first entered Ferrix City, she visited her character’s house, Maarva.
Fiona Shaw was surprised to see the intricate detailing of the design of her house. It was made out of old parts of spaceships. Additionally, she mentioned that she would stare at the wonderful creation between the breaks.
15. Denise Gough and Kyle Soller appreciated the villain roles.
Kyle Soller played the role of a security officer in Ferrix City. The viewers are left to explore whether he believes in a cause or is just an opportunist who focuses on his career.
Denise Gough plays the role of Dedra Meero, a member of the Imperial Security Bureau. She always comes in the way of Andor. Denise mentioned her character as the only powerful female in the male-dominated world of the ISB.
Denise added that Dedra is ambitious and meticulous and constantly aims to improve her rank. The two characters, Kyle and Dedra, are the antagonists. They do not play the regular villains of the Star Wars universe, who wear uniforms.
The antagonists do the right thing, but only from their perspective. They cannot exactly be termed supervillains, but they keep interrupting Andor’s journey. They create the illusion of doing the right thing in the name of duty, but it is not ethically right.
The actors who played the role also claimed it felt like they were doing the right thing. They were very happy about playing the roles of such villains and appreciated the roles.
The actors stated that playing conflicted villains in the series was very refreshing. Tony Gilroy also described the characters as regular people who go to work and compete at the workplace, just like normal humans. They also feel insecure and vulnerable. They are also a major part of the show.
16. More than 200 cast members worked on the Andor series.
The Andor series has a very large cinematic cast, as the series did not make use of CGI or other technologies. The other series do not have a large cast and crew like Andor.
The cast consists of more than 200 actors. The cast includes stars like Diego Luna, Fiona Shaw, and Forest Whitaker. The cast members’ list included extras and other technicians who contributed to the series.
The gesture explains how the creators gave importance to the creative team that worked on minute details. This may be one of the factors behind the show’s attention to detail and commitment to providing only the most effective content.
17. Different real-world languages were mixed to create Kenari.
There are several flashbacks in the series involving Cassian Andor’s past. This can be observed in the first three episodes of the series. Andor is from a planet called Kenari, and the inhabitants of the planet also go by the same name.
The people of this planet speak a language known as Kenari. This language was developed by combining various languages from the real world.
The language of Kenari has linguistic roots in three languages: Portuguese, Spanish, and Magyar.
18. Genevieve O’Reilly resonated with her character.
Genevieve O’Reilly portrayed the role of Mon Mothma in the series. She plays the role of an alliance leader, which is an important role in the series. She appeared only as a voice actor for the animated series but appeared as a character in the series.
Genevieve said that she always wanted to explore the sacrifice and pain of the character. She always wanted to look at her character from the audience’s perspective.
While exploring the character, Genevieve said that she resonated with the character. We can see her dedication in the scenes where she develops sympathy for the rebellion while navigating it.
19. Cassian’s full name references Diego Luna’s son.
Cassian Andor’s full name is Cassian Jeron Andor. Star Wars fans discovered a covert connection between the character’s name and his real-life family. Diego Luna’s son’s name is Jeronimo.
Luna mentioned in multiple interviews that his son is a big fan of the Star Wars franchise. He even accompanied Luna during the filming in London. His son was very excited to be on the set. So the fans consequently believe that Andor’s full name refers to the name of Luna’s son.
20. The team confirmed that the show would have a second season.
In the first season, I covered a year of Andor’s life. According to Tony Gilroy, the upcoming season will focus on the remaining four years leading up to Rogue One. Each year will be covered in a sequence of four years.
The filming for season two started around November 2022 and is expected to continue until August 2023. The first season took three years to film due to the pandemic conditions.
Tony Gilroy announced that the second season will be released in 2024. This season might be the series’ final season, as it covers the entire span before Rogue One.
Several new characters are likely to appear in the upcoming season. The season will also have several directors who will direct different episodes.
