The Making of Andor: A Conversation with Tony Gilroy and Diego Luna
Variety has spoken exclusively with Tony Gilroy, the creator of the Emmy-nominated and Peabody-winning "Star Wars" series "Andor," and Diego Luna, the star of the show, about the making of the series and its impact on audiences.
According to Variety, Gilroy is trying, unsuccessfully, to look relaxed, sitting in his Los Angeles hotel room less than two weeks before "Andor" concludes its second and final season on Disney+. Luna joins them via Zoom from Mexico, and Gilroy has been listening to him wax rhapsodic about the first time they met.
The two initially met in the summer of 2016, when Gilroy was hired to oversee reshoots on "Rogue One," the one-off "Star Wars" prequel about a team of rebel spies, led by Luna’s Cassian Andor, who sacrifice their lives to steal the plans for the Death Star, as reported by Variety.
Luna went into their first dinner intimidated by Gilroy’s reputation as one of the industry’s most trenchant and skillful filmmakers. They wound up conversing into the night. "It was beautiful," Luna says. "Tony, when he starts talking, you just get immersed into a little universe that he paints for you. It was like, holy crap, I feel like I know this guy, and it’s been just three hours of my life. He was so generous and open."
The creative relationship between Gilroy and Luna has evolved significantly over the course of making "Andor," as noted by Variety. "When we talked about actually doing it, we were at the Bowery Hotel, and we had lunch and we were like, ‘I don’t know,’" Gilroy recalls. "We knew we liked each other. We knew we could work together. I told him how crazy I was going to be at the top, and we’d see what happens."
The pair’s relationship has been shaped by their experience working on the show, which has involved a significant amount of pre-production and planning, as reported by Variety. "We take everything to the absolute utmost preparative level you could possibly take it," Gilroy explains. "Every single stage direction, every moment of tempo, every color of every sash, the provenance of every prop, every possible confusion is all aired out."
The show’s production process has been notable for its emphasis on creativity and freedom, with Disney and Lucasfilm giving the team significant autonomy to pursue their vision, as detailed by Variety. "Disney was freaked out the first season when we started saying that," Gilroy says. "But we finally were like, ‘Don’t you realize that for us, it’s a miracle?’ What they did is such a huge gamble, and it’s such a credit to them."
The team behind "Andor" has also been drawn praise for its handling of complex and mature themes, which has helped to set it apart from other shows in the "Star Wars" franchise, according to Variety. "I think people are really asking, ‘How can you do this material with these characters?’" Luna notes. "Any piece of wonderful and honest writing becomes personal. Even though we are in this galaxy far, far away, and we are using all the tools of something everyone thinks they understand perfectly, we’re showing the intimate life of people that were never in frame."
The final episodes of "Andor" lead directly into the events of "Rogue One," with Luna reprising his role as Cassian Andor, as mentioned by Variety. "I was getting emotional by everything," he recalls. "I would go into tears many times a day. I thought it wasn’t going to be possible, that we were not going to get there. It was a triumph in many ways."
Gilroy and Luna have also reflected on their personal backgrounds and how they have influenced their approaches to popular material, as reported by Variety. Gilroy’s father, Frank D. Gilroy, was a Tony- and Pulitzer-winning playwright, which has had a significant impact on his approach to storytelling.
As noted by Variety, the show has had a significant impact on audiences, with many praising its handling of complex themes and mature material. "The audiences are showing up," Luna says. "Every single thing could be used as a host organism for something wonderful."
The success of "Andor" has also raised questions about the potential for other shows in the "Star Wars" franchise to handle similar themes and material, as reported by Variety. "I think so," Gilroy says. "Oh, I think so."
Variety first reported on the creative process behind "Andor," highlighting the show’s emphasis on preparation and planning. The publication also noted the show’s handling of complex themes and mature material, which has helped to set it apart from other shows in the "Star Wars" franchise.
Overall, the conversation between Variety, Gilroy, and Luna offers a unique insight into the making of "Andor" and its impact on audiences. As the show comes to a close, it is clear that it has left a lasting legacy in the "Star Wars" franchise.
Variety is reporting on news articles about the making of "Andor," and this article is based on an interview with Tony Gilroy and Diego Luna.
