Diego Luna on the Creative Process Behind ‘Andor’ Season 2
In a recent interview with Vanity Fair, Diego Luna sat down with David Canfield to discuss the whirlwind that is starring and executive producing a Star Wars project, as well as the collaboration between him and Tony Gilroy on season 2. When Gareth Edwards approached Luna for the role of Cassian Andor in Rogue One almost 15 years after his breakout film Y Tu Mamá También, he had to process the surprise of being asked to star in a major franchise. He hadn’t imagined what that film would lead to, including a further character exploration of his character in Andor six years later.
Since Andor began, it’s been almost nonstop for the star. As the titular character in Andor, Luna has a long list of responsibilities that don’t stop at being in front of the camera. He is credited as an executive producer on the show, and discussed what that collaboration looks like during production:
I guess I’m allowed to do what I always wanted to do. What I normally do without anyone asking for it, this time it’s on paper. I started producing and directing many years ago, and it’s because as an actor, I’m used to theater, where you are part of the whole thing. In cinema it is a very important role that actors play, obviously, but you come in when most is decided. I got tired of getting there too late to actually have an input to feel part of it in a bigger way. I really like understanding why things get to be what they are. I love owning what I do in that way.
Producing a show like this can mean many things, you know, because everything is happening at the same time. Sometimes I’m the eyes of the set, the eyes of Tony Gilroy, because he’s writing and I’m on set and I can call him and say ‘Look, this is happening. I’m feeling this. There’s a lack of clarity here.’ Or like, ‘Man, this just happened. It’s amazing. Take a look at it because that might inspire you for what you’re writing.’ I have the chance to see things from the days I have time off, like no other producer in this show. I can stay home and I can think about stuff and I can come back with ideas that, by being there every day, you couldn’t see. There’s so much to do that no one is stepping on each other’s toes. We complement each other very well.
It’s difficult to define exactly what I do. [Laughs.] It’s about having an opinion when your opinion matters, when there’s time for that opinion, to shape things. As an actor, mostly, every time you come with an opinion or an idea, it’s a little too late.
Luna’s boots-on-the-ground approach can only complement Gilroy’s writing, and with Gilroy being on set somewhat infrequently, it allows the team to capture creatively serendipitous moments that happen on set that otherwise may have been missed or looked over in post-production. Diego Luna’s intimate understanding of Cassian Andor, having been with the character longer than Gilroy even, means he’s the perfect shepherd for his narrative.
With the success of season 1 and Luna’s comments about listening to fan feedback, I have no doubt that season 2 will deliver. Luna’s comprehensive involvement in all aspects of the development lends him a unique, holistic perspective on the story. I hope we see him collaborate on projects in this way outside of Star Wars in the future.
Asked about how he’s feeling about Andor coming to an end, Luna said:
Well, the thing is, uh, it’s not ending. It’s not even close. All my life I’ve done theater and cinema, and it’s a very different rhythm—here, it seems to never end. There is no time to celebrate because when you finish something, you have to start something else right away. I actually finished the first season when episode six was already out, because I was doing all the Spanish dubbing for Latin America. It’s exhausting in the best possible way.
The beauty of our show is that we know that it has a beginning and an end. We know this story ends when Rogue One starts. When we were shooting season one, we sat down and said like, Okay, how can we make sure we deliver? The whole show, the idea was this is five years before Rogue One, and the first season is one year. So now we are doing four blocks [for season two]—and each block covers a year. I can’t wait for people to see this second season because we learned a lot from the first one, and it would be very disappointing not to have another chance.
Andor is currently filming in Valencia, Spain; production is expected to wrap there soon. The show is anticipated to release in late summer 2024 on Disney Plus. Stay up-to-date on all Andor news with the recent tidbits from Star Wars Celebration.
When she isn't watching her friends and family's eyes glaze over at the mention of The Clone Wars, she's at the park with her dog, Melvin, or on the couch with a book in one hand and a drink in the other. Physically, she lives in Ohio; spiritually, she lives in Naboo.
