Andor’s Diego Luna explains why he considers the show a huge success

After a jaw-dropping conclusion to the premiere season of Andor, it’s clear the show set out to do something truly unique in the larger Star Wars storytelling sandbox. And it’s not just the people watching who believe it achieved everything it aspired to — and more.

Diego Luna, who first played Cassian Andor in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story in 2016, reprised his role for the “prequel” series this year. He went along with showrunner Tony Gilroy’s vision, and thinks it sincerely paid off.

Speaking with Collider, Luna explained how social media reactions to the series proved to him that the show had the exact effect its creators were hoping for.

"“When I hear people talking about the show in social media, when I read the reviews, I hear a lot of the words that we were reminding ourselves every day on set. The darkness, the complexity, the depth, the intimacy, the realism. I think that’s one thing Tony and we were all trying to remind ourselves, this has to feel real.”"

When Andor was first announced years ago, many were skeptical about a Disney+ show focused on a character who only appeared in one Star Wars movie — and (spoilers) died at the end. But everyone involved clearly believed it could be something deep and powerful, and perhaps that was what made it take off.

Some were also skeptical of the show’s three-episode premiere, especially after said premiere was delayed a month fairly close to its release date. Luna also expressed gratitude for this decision working out better than expected.

"“My reaction, or this journey, since the series came out, I think it was very important for people, for audiences to be able to watch the first three episodes in one because it gave you the feeling of what we were trying to achieve and the range of what the show was going to offer.”"

Early reviews for the series were spot-on — the show’s somber tone and its underlying roughness made it, in some ways, an unprecedented success. It does not stylistically match the Star Wars many viewers may be used to, especially from a Disney+ show. But the main actor behind the project must have known it would land.

It didn’t just stick the landing; it soared.

All episodes of Andor Season 1 are available to stream exclusively on Disney+.

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