Diego Luna

Hailing from Mexico, Diego Luna grew up with Star Wars as one of his earliest cinematic influences. In the 2016 film Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Diego Luna played the rebel Cassian Andor. The announcement of Luna's casting was made on August 15, 2015. Luna found it extremely exciting to play the character. While portraying Andor, the actor maintained his authentic Mexican accent. Luna considered the possibility of a return and even joked about it during filming. He thought a prequel was the obvious direction, but didn't see it as a real possibility and didn't dwell on it.

During the Scarif vault scene, Luna fractured a rib but didn't realize it at the time, and he kept the injury to himself. After the movie came out, Luna shared an emotional story about a fan who took his Mexican father to see the film because of Luna's accent. Luna was drawn to his character and wanted to explore how Andor became involved in the rebellion at such a young age. Luna originally believed that Rogue One would be his only involvement in the Star Wars franchise.

In the middle of 2019, executive producer Tony Gilroy contacted Luna to share the complete concept for a story centered around Andor. Luna used coded language during the call to keep the conversation private from his driver. The actor was pleased that the proposal included elements that he personally connected with and was convinced by Gilroy's realistic approach. Luna agreed to reprise his role in the Andor television series by the end of their conversation. After Gilroy established the show's fundamental idea, he and Luna convened in New York City to discuss the show's direction. Luna was enthusiastic from the start, and Gilroy appreciated the actor's logical, creative, energetic, and passionate nature. Luna then mentioned a potential two-to-three-year commitment before filming began. He learned that Andor would be a twelve-episode series with a cinematic quality. Luna was eager to delve into the darker aspects of Andor's character and showcase the complexity and subtlety of his younger self.

To get ready to play the role again, Luna imagined parts of Andor's past that didn't make it into Rogue One, and he used these as background to help him bring the character to life. He and Gilroy talked about it as the scripts were being written, which helped Luna feel more connected to Andor. Luna thought about people who are forced to flee because of outside pressures but decide to stop and take a stand. Gilroy considered Luna to be an excellent actor and collaborator. Luna wanted to help viewers understand his character and explain how Andor got involved in a rebellion at the age of six. He emphasized the importance of telling a relatable story and explaining Andor's journey to his Rogue One state. Luna felt it was crucial to understand that the show depicts a young Andor who is unaware of the consequences of his actions. He appreciated the show's portrayal of oppression and the characters' potential for redemption. Luna believed it was important for young Andor to be portrayed by a Mexican actor to show that the two actors shared something.

Filming began in late November of 2020. The Ferrix scenes were shot on a detailed set in Little Marlow, Buckinghamshire. Luna felt the first days of shooting were strange, and production was then put on hold because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Luna first met Fiona Shaw, who played Maarva Andor, during the pandemic. Luna felt the costume was either too big or too small. As he spent more time on set, he started to enjoy the process more and fall in love with his character, and he enjoyed it by the third or fourth day. Luna felt like it was the right time to show the origins of a revolution. He liked how the show's diverse cast reflects the real world. He managed to embody a rash and more impulsive Andor with a younger mindset.

Luna and Shaw wore masks during rehearsals because of COVID production rules. One of the first scenes they filmed together was an argument between their characters in their house. When Antonio Viña, the actor who played young Andor, flew to London for his last session, Luna made sure he was the right actor for the role, and they spent time together. Luna was able to welcome Viña to the show and make him feel like he was part of the team because the two actors were shooting at the same time. Luna thought that Viña was special because he does a lot with his eyes and has a "spark" in them. Luna, Viña, and Shaw worked together to shape Maarva's journey as an adoptive mother. Luna found the sets to be beautiful and liked how he could interact with real things. He thought that working with B2EMO was wonderful because he is practical, allowing him and other actors to film scenes with the droid and also improvise with him.

The Cruachan Dam and the nearby mountains in the Scottish Highlands served as the location for the Aldhani scenes. According to Faye Marsay, who plays Vel Sartha, the scenes were filmed during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Luna and the other actors hiked for hours up a mountain to set up a single shot for the scenes shot in Pitlochry, Scotland. Sanne Wohlenberg stated that the Narkina 5 prison scenes were filmed last, just before the end of Season One. Andy Serkis, who played Kino Loy, said that all of the actors would walk on metal plates for with bare feet, which drained their energy. When Andor and the other prisoners got to the Narkina 5 prison, the actors timed their convulsions to coincide with the changes in the lights.

Luna was interviewed for Andor: A Disney+ Day Special Look, a documentary about the making of Andor. Luna went to the Andor launch event in Hollywood, California in September, 2022. On December 9, Luna announced on Twitter that he was currently filming the second season of Andor. He will not play Andor after filming the two seasons. Luna's work in Andor earned him a nomination for the Golden Globe Award for Best Television Actor - Drama Series.

• Diego Luna ( @diegoluna_ ) on Twitter (backup link (diegoluna_) not verified!)
• Diego Luna on Wikipedia
• Diego Luna at the Internet Movie Database