The attorney David Betancourt
Diego Luna always believed that his debut in the “Star Wars” universe would be his only one.
On Wednesday, the first of two planned seasons of “Andor” premieres on Disney+ with a three-episode launch.
The series, which chronicles the origin of Diego Luna’s character, demonstrates how far “Star Wars” has progressed since he first debuted in “Rogue One” in 2016.
It is now an ever-expanding streaming universe that is contributing to an increase in Latino representation in geek culture on-screen.
In the prequel to the original “Star Wars”, the celebrated Mexican actor known for his appearances in the 2001 film “Y Tu Mamá También” and the Netflix series “Narcos” as the charming rebel spy Cassian Andor.
“Andor” will also act as a prequel, taking place before “Rogue Oneevents. “‘s
Luna kept his nerves in check during filming “Rogue One” despite entering a universe he has idolized since infancy by convincing himself it would be a unique experience. He did so because he knew he was dead.
As a member of a suicide mission that helps save the galaxy from a terrible empire, he helped bring to life one of the most significant deaths ever to occur in a “Star Wars” story.
During “Rogue One” press appearances, Luna says, he was regularly asked how long he would remain in the “Star Wars” neighborhood. He could only smile and try not to spoil the movie’s climax for everyone.
In a recent interview with The Washington Post, Luna stated, “It helped me tremendously to enter the “Star Wars” universe feeling somewhat in charge.” “It was similar to what I have done my entire life. I was intended to appear in a single film. It had a start and a finish. My experience would be unique.”
“Rogue One” was a $1 billion worldwide box office success. In the sometimes divisive “Star Wars” film revival that followed Disney’s $4 billion acquisition of Lucasfilm in 2012, the film was a shining example of outstanding narrative.
With its darker tones and higher stakes, “Rogue One” was a “Star Wars” film so wonderful that it didn’t require lightsabers, but it offered viewers one at the end of the film with one of Darth Vader’s finest cinematic moments.
Due to the death of so many significant characters, the only way to capitalize on “Star Wars” fans’ goodwill for the film was to look back in time.
Luna’s return to “Star Wars” in “Andor” began to take shape when Kathleen Kennedy, CEO of Lucasfilm, desired to give Luna’s character his own series.
Tony Gilroy and Diego Luna were on the “Andor” set. Des Willie/Lucasfilm Ltd. photograph
She reached out to Tony Gilroy, who was essential in the success of “Rogue One” after assisting director Gareth Edwards with the contentious reshoots, and asked him if he was interested in becoming a part of the project.
But in Disney’s non-streaming world prior to 2019, Gilroy’s ideas appeared too expensive and grandiose for television. He left Lucasfilm numerous notes and memoranda explaining how he believed the company could flourish.
Then in 2019, Baby Yoda happened. Disney+ exists. “The Mandalorian” took place. It was created by Jon Favreau, and its executive producer was Dave Filoni.
And the world, and how “Star Wars” stories could be told in it, altered. Suddenly, Gilroy’s impossible-to-achieve goals began to appear achievable.
Luna shared the excitement.
“When I received the phone call about exploring the possibility of producing this prequel to examine this character’s backstory, I thought it made perfect sense,” Luna remarked.
“‘Rogue One’ is a magnificent film that demonstrates what these individuals are capable of, but Cassian is underdeveloped. Where does he originate? What motivates his confidence and dedication to the cause?”
In “Andor,” flashbacks to Cassian Andor’s youth on his home planet, Kenari, augment the narrative of his rebel rookie days.
The Kenari do not understand Basic (the “Star Wars” equivalent for English), and the presence of the empire has a profound effect on their culture, sending Andor unwillingly down the path to “Star Wars” legend.
“He is a refugee,” Luna explains of Andor’s background. “He is compelled to migrate and must abandon everything. This is also hinted at in ‘Rogue One.’ No one shares his dialect.
Clearly, he comes from a place no one else has ever come from… we’re discussing marginalized groups. We are discussing what oppression looks like. Obviously, there are many parallels that can be drawn with the world in which we live.”
Kenari recollections in “Andor” evoke a sense of galactic Indigenous uprooting and imperial colonization. Gilroy, the showrunner of the series, explains that the flashback scenes on-screen grew from the initial inquiry he posed while considering a look into Cassian Andor’s background.
He wanted to discover what kind of horrifying event inspires a child to grow up and destroy an empire.
Gilroy stated, “My initial, initial, frantic, practical inclination was to explain his accent.” “This is where I begin. I want him to experience significant childhood drama. I desire that he be angry. I desire for him to be desperate.
“I also want you to permit him to do some extremely unpleasant things along the way without rejecting him.”
Now, Luna is a member of a Latino “Star Wars” revolution. He recently graced the cover of Vanity Fair with “Obi-Wan Kenobi” star Ewan McGregor, “The Mandalorian’s” Pedro Pascal, and Rosario Dawson, who will soon play as the former Padawan of Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader in a “Ahsoka” streaming series.
The cover featured three Latinos: Luna (Mexican), Dawson (Cuban/Puerto Rican), and Pascal (Chilean). Luna also just stated at Disney’s D23 event that he would be providing the Spanish voice-over for his “Andor” character.
“I’m glad that Lucasfilm and Disney deemed it necessary for our voices to be heard by the Spanish-speaking community,” Luna added. “We’re not done. I continue to work on it. Even though it is a lot of labor, I felt it was necessary. “Many (Latino) children see it (in Spanish), and I don’t want another person’s voice there.”
During a moment backstage with many of his fellow Latino actors, including Pascal, Gael Garca Bernal, his old “Narcos” co-star Tenoch Huerta, and his “Andor” co-star Adria Arjona, Luna was stunned at D23.
“There was a lot of Spanish being spoken,” Luna said with pride. “It was pretty fascinating to see so many acquaintances with whom I’ve collaborated on various projects suddenly occupying roles in plays of this nature.
And the audience’s response to it. When you come out in D23 and people are so happy to see you because you look and sound like them, it means a great deal.”
In October, Garca Bernal, Luna’s longtime friend and co-star on “Y Tu Mamá También,” will star in the Disney Plus/Marvel Studios Halloween special “Werewolf by Night.” Huerta is slated to make his debut as Namor the sub-mariner in the November release of “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.” And Salma Hayek just starred in the 2021 film “Eternals” from Marvel Studios.
“What it signifies is that there is so much talent in Mexico,” Luna said, adding, “We are accustomed to accomplishing a great deal with very little. When you have a lot to say but few resources to express it, your creativity is stimulated in a unique way.
“Something triggers… we have this neighbor directly above us, and much of what we eat originates in the United States. Cinema, then music, then television. Therefore, it’s pretty cool that we’re included in these projects. It just makes sense.”