‘Andor’ Actors Denise Gough and Kyle Soller Talk About Dedra and Syril’s Pursuit of Power
Denise Gough and Kyle Soller sat down to talk briefly about their Andor villains Dedra Meero and Syril Karn, respectively.
Both Dedra and Syril start in relatively low places at the beginning of the season, but Dedra’s standing within the ISB has slowly increased, while Syril is desperate to move up the ranks of power too. In a fascist organization such as the Empire, though, such ambition can bring only bad things for our heroes and the rest of the galaxy.
Denise Gough and Kyle Soller discuss the intricacies of playing characters in the pursuit of power. #Andor is now streaming on @DisneyPlus. pic.twitter.com/HDr2VAZhkP
— Star Wars | Andor & Tales of the Jedi On Disney+ (@starwars) November 3, 2022
Gough touches on how relatable Dedra appeared in Andor‘s earlier episodes, back when she was a woman fighting to succeed in a man’s world. It’s not until she gets a taste of that power that we realize how ruthless she can be:
I have the added pleasure of playing a woman in a man’s world thing, and initially you really want her to succeed. But then you’re kind of doing yourselves a disservice too because it’s like, it’s not that clear.
This woman is just as capable in the pursuit of power, which has always been what I have, even in my own personal thing, we are just as capable of doing the most heinous things for power.
Soller points out that neither character sees themselves as the villains in this story. In their minds, they both want to do what they believe to be the right thing, and then be acknowledged and recognized for their achievements:
I think they’re really the heroes of their own journeys. I think they really believe they’re doing the right thing, in the relative sphere of their own existence. And they both come from a place of lack and a desire to be seen and recognized. And this hunger for power and order in a fascistic realm is quite dangerous, but so seductive.
It’s these character traits and personalities that make Andor such a compelling Star Wars series. At this point, it’s unclear if either of them will get a traditional redemptive arc like most Star Wars villains, so it will be interesting to see what lies in store for them in the show.
Josh is a huge Star Wars fan, who has spent far too much time wondering if any Star Wars character could defeat Thanos with all the Infinity Stones.
