Tony Gilroy, the Oscar-nominated filmmaker whose credits include Michael Clayton and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, has spent the last five years painstakingly reshaping the Star Wars universe through the Disney+ series Andor. The series, which explores themes of rebellion and tyranny, recently earned 14 Emmy nominations for its second season. Gilroy, the showrunner, creator, and lead writer, has become synonymous with the intense creative vision that drives the show’s immersive storytelling and richly detailed universe.
Tony Gilroy Andor Star Wars merges the political and personal struggles within a galaxy overshadowed by fascism, diving deep into how rebellion takes shape and the constant effort tyranny demands to sustain itself. The show’s complex portrayal of authority and resistance has resonated widely, gaining acclaim beyond traditional Star Wars fans.
Obsessive World-Building and Intricate Storytelling Behind the Scenes
Gilroy’s dedication is evident in the obsessive attention to every detail of Andor’s production.
“Making ‘Andor’ was the most all-consuming creative experience imaginable,”
he stated, emphasizing the total immersion required to bring the series to life. From constructing entire cultures, like the fictional planet Ghorman, to co-writing the Ghorman national anthem, Gilroy’s involvement transcended typical showrunning duties.
He shared,
“We thought about every single buttonhole in that show,”
laying bare the meticulous design philosophy. Alongside three-time Academy Award nominee Nicholas Britell, Gilroy crafted the emotive anthem that captures the soul of Ghorman’s culture. He admitted with humor and determination,
“I don’t care about anything else, but I want that award,”
referring to the Emmy nomination for Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics.
Every frame was shaped through exhaustive discussions, ensuring authenticity and narrative cohesion. Gilroy’s partnership with production designer Luke Hull was foundational in building Ghorman’s language, economy, and aesthetics, truly “playing God” in creating a new world within the Star Wars framework.
Balancing Mysticism and Grounded Drama in the Series Narrative
While Andor is largely grounded in political intrigue and character-driven drama, Gilroy skillfully infused the story with subtle spiritual and mystical elements. The subplot involving a Force healer reflects his careful navigation of Star Wars mythology, balancing fan expectations and his personal storytelling tastes.
He likened the inspiration to the film Ghost, saying,
“Whoopi Goldberg plays a psychic who’s basically scamming people… Then Swayze’s character comes in and activates it again. Suddenly, she’s terrified her old power is back.”
This fear and reluctance to embrace a supernatural gift became the emotional center of the healer’s arc on the show.
Gilroy explained how this mystical subplot also served the narrative purpose,
“People said that might be tough to sell, so we needed to build it carefully. The Force healer thread helped us along that path.”
It was crucial in shaping the character Bix’s decision to leave Cassian and the rebellion, adding depth to the story’s emotional journey.
Overcoming Industry Challenges: COVID and the Writers’ Strike
The production of Andor faced significant hurdles from the COVID-19 pandemic to the Writers Guild of America strike, but Gilroy and his team adapted with remarkable resilience. Gilroy confessed he initially worried about the show’s fate:
“COVID basically saved our show. If we’d gone forward as initially planned, it would have been a complete disaster.”
The shutdown forced a major rewrite, allowing Gilroy to elevate the scripts and tighten every narrative element during a four-month prep period from afar. Remarkably, the production ran remotely for months, with detailed scripts and numerous meetings ensuring precision.
“Once the actors and directors went to set, I never interfered… The groundwork was so detailed that a writer was never needed on set,”
Gilroy recalled.
When he finally returned to the set, the experience was alien:
“I felt out of place, like I shouldn’t be there.”
The meticulously planned process culminated just before the writers’ strike, ensuring all scripts were complete and supplementary dialogue was prepared in case of delays. This foresight kept the production stable when others faced shutdowns or chaos.
Gilroy reflected on the industry’s fragmented response to the strike,
“Some people cheated [the WGA strike rules], some bent the rules. All kinds of different things happened—good, bad, and some cheating went on… But for us, because we had already locked everything, we were in a very different position.”
Launching Emerging Talent and Celebrating Unsung Performances
The cast of Andor largely consists of lesser-known actors who have found new opportunities thanks to the series’ acclaim. Gilroy highlighted performers like Kyle Soller, Denise Gough, Faye Marsay, Elizabeth Dulau, Alex Lawther, and Anton Lesser, noting that many joined the project without agents and are now seeing their careers flourish.
Despite the show‘s 14 Emmy nominations, some key actors were overlooked. Gilroy expressed regret that Diego Luna and Genevieve O’Reilly, who delivered career-defining performances, did not receive nods. He asserted,
“Genevieve in particular—that’s a career-defining performance, a lifetime’s work… I’d put it up against anybody’s major performance.”
Gilroy’s admiration for the cast’s transformative work is evident. On Denise Gough’s character, he remarked,
“On the show—that super tight pulled back hair, the constant scowl, the harsh lines of her costume fitting, the cold visage—it just suddenly gave me such a reappreciation for the transformative qualities of hair and make-up and hell, lighting too.”
This painstaking collaboration across departments injected realism and emotional depth into every scene.
The Importance of Storytelling and the Personal Stakes for Gilroy
Gilroy’s approach to Andor transcends entertainment, viewing it as both a narrative struggle and a fight for creative survival. The series seeks to connect with viewers beyond the traditional Star Wars fanbase. He recounted how a friend unfamiliar with the franchise was captured by the story:
“I showed Andor to my friend, who knew almost nothing about Star Wars, other than the general pop-cultural awareness of it all, and she loved it and was hooked.”
His wife initially doubted the project but later became a dedicated viewer, even watching with subtitles to catch missed dialogue. Gilroy celebrated, “That’s my dream. That’s awesome,” underscoring how reaching new audiences validated his vision for a deeply textured, human story within a sprawling franchise.
Next Ambitious Ventures Fueled by ‘Andor’s’ Success
Looking forward, Gilroy is preparing to direct Behemoth!, a musical set in Los Angeles that he describes as a project only possible due to Andor’s</em) achievements. He hints it might star Pedro Pascal, the breakout actor widely praised for his role in Andor.
This upcoming venture reflects Gilroy’s restless creative energy and determination to push boundaries within the entertainment industry, flourishing amid streaming’s challenges and opportunities. The success of Andor not only reinvigorated a segment of the Star Wars universe but also empowered Gilroy to embark on bold storytelling experiments outside the franchise.
The Symbolism and Craft Behind the Ghorman National Anthem
The Ghorman national anthem symbolizes the deep storytelling embedded within Andor’s world-building. Gilroy collaborated closely with composer Nicholas Britell to create an original anthem in the fictional Ghormani language, aiming for a piece that was “heartbreaking” and narratively resonant.
After Britell’s departure during the second season, composer Brandon Roberts took over, orchestrating it with an opera singer, which Gilroy believes added to its emotional weight. The version submitted for the Emmy nomination was Roberts’s orchestration, which further illustrates the collective artistry shaping the show’s immersive atmosphere.
Gilroy’s ambition shines through his admission:
“I want that award. I don’t care about anything else,”
highlighting how much pride and personal investment he places in this uniquely crafted element of the series.
