Mon Mothma's Significant Dance Decoded: Discussion with Tony Gilroy and Genevieve O'Reilly on Mothma's Pivotal Dance Move
Skip the breakneck blast back into the early days of Star Wars rebellion with Andor season two on Disney+! In an exclusive interview with io9, showrunner Tony Gilroy and Mon Mothma star Genevieve O'Reilly discuss the last moments of the third episode of this week's drop. Gilroy also shares insights on how the three-episode "movie" arcs came to be.
Sabina Graves, io9: Initially, the plan was for Andor to span across five seasons, each covering a year. However, that morphed into these three-episode "movie" arcs. How much backstory was provided and developed as you went along, Tony?
Tony Gilroy: When the idea was conceived and we began experimenting, I originally thought "Oh my god, is this going to work?" With all the exposition needed to catch viewers up. I didn't want to do that, and at the beginning, I would have thought "Oh, I'm going to need a huge bible of negative space to fill in." But no, no heavy lifting was necessary! Adria Arjona and Diego Luna only required a specific jump to understand the past soldier missions. As we proceeded, there were so few questions that needed addressing, making it easy to move forward.
io9, Genevieve: Being given that negative space to find Mon in her formative years of forming the rebellion was truly liberating. The moment she lets loose in episode three felt incredibly cathartic. Can you delve into the process of that moment unfolding for her?
Genevieve O'Reilly: The first three episodes span over just three days, taking place in her ancestral home. I felt deeply rooted in her history during this time, immersed in her culture and traditions. With so little exposition in the script, we understood the rituals and practices intuitively. Moving through the three days filled with family drama, my character faces the implications of her choices, not just from a familial standpoint but also politically. Luthen forces her to confront the reality of rebellion and its price.
io9: Tony, the intercutting of dance and celebration with everyone's crucial moments felt powerful. What was the strength and beauty you saw in merging those elements?
Gilroy: My brother, a master post-production builder, and I crafted numerous crescendos over the years, like the funeral in season 1. This crescendo is complex as we use electronic dance music and juxtapose Cassian's heroics with Mon's struggle and Eedy's appearance. It binds the audience to the characters emotionally.
Take a leap into hope and resistance as you watch Andor's dramatic journey unfold on Disney+. For more updates on Marvel, Star Wars, Star Trek, the DC Universe, and Doctor Who, keep checking io9!
- Tony Gilroy, in an interview with io9, revealed that the initial plan for Andor was for five seasons, each covering a year, but it transformed into three-episode "movie" arcs, allowing for less exposition and easier storytelling.
- Genevieve O'Reilly, who plays Mon Mothma in Andor, found it liberating to have room for her character's formative years in the rebellion and felt deeply connected to her heritage during the three-day span portrayed in the first three episodes.
- In the same interview, Tony Gilroy discussed the impact of merging dance and celebration with crucial moments in Andor, believing that the blend of electronic dance music and character interactions created a powerful emotional connection with the audience.
