"Tony Gilroy and Genevieve O'Reilly Delve into Mon Mothma's Significant Dance Scene in Andor"
A New Blast of Rebellion: Andor Season 2 on Disney+
Dive back into the early days of the Star Wars rebellion with the first three episodes of season two of Andor, now streaming on Disney+. In an exclusive interview with io9, showrunner Tony Gilroy and star Genevieve O'Reilly break down the final moments of episode three. Gilroy also discusses the evolution of the three-episode "movie" arcs and the smart storytelling behind them.
io9: Tony, the original plan for Andor was for five seasons, each season covering a year. That evolved into these three-episode "movie" arcs. How much of the backstory was developed as you went along?
Tony Gilroy: At first, it seemed as though we'd have to do a ton of exposition to bridge the gap between episodes, but as it turns out, there were surprisingly few questions to address. The early episodes were full of ambiance, and we didn't have to go back and write elaborate memos or do heavy lifting to fill in the blanks.
io9: Genevieve, as Mon Mothma, did it feel liberating to have that negatives space and broad strokes to find her in these formative years?
Genevieve O'Reilly: In the first three episodes, we follow Mon Mothma for three days in her ancestral home, where we dive deep into her history and familial dynamics. As the episodes progress, Mon grapples with her own internal chaos while navigating the complications of her relationships and Luthen's guidance. Her cathartic moment on the dance floor serves as both a release and a call to action for Mon as she wrestles with the reality of what rebellion truly entails.
io9: Tony, what did you see as the strength and beauty of intercutting that with where everyone else is in this moment of crossroads?
Gilroy: The crescendo at the end of episode three is a complex, multilayered montage that allows us to follow Cassian Andor, Mon Mothma, and other characters as they face critical turning points in their lives. We also use an unconventional piece of electronic dance music to juxtapose the various storylines, heightening the tension and creating a visceral connection between the audience and the characters.
Andor is now available to stream on Disney+. For more io9 content, check out what's next for Marvel, Star Wars, Star Trek, the DC Universe, and Doctor Who.
Enrichment Data:The initial plan for Andor called for a five-season run, with each season representing a year in Cassian Andor's life. However, in response to production challenges and strategic shifts from Disney, the series was scaled back to two seasons. The new structure consists of three-episode arcs, providing a dynamic portrayal of the characters over time while allowing for significant character development and storytelling leaps. Despite not entirely transforming into mini-movies, this structure offers somewhat self-contained episodes within each arc.
- Tony Gilroy revealed that initially, they thought there would be a lot of exposition needed to bridge the gaps between the episodes of Andor, but surprisingly, there were fewer questions to address.
- Genevieve O'Reilly, playing Mon Mothma, found it liberating to have the 'negative space' and broader strokes to develop her character in the formative years depicted in the first three episodes.
- The final moments of episode three of Andor, streamable on Disney+, are a complex, multilayered montage, intercutting the critical turning points of various characters' lives.
- Gilroy used an unconventional piece of electronic dance music to juxtapose the storylines, heightening the tension and creating a visceral connection between the audience and the characters.
- Despite the initial plan for a five-season run, Andor was reshaped into a two-season series, with each season having a three-episode arc structure.
- Besides covering Star Wars, Marvel, Star Trek, DC Universe, and Doctor Who, io9 also has exclusive and insightful interviews about upcoming episodes of Andor on Disney+.
