Tony Gilroy Says There’d Be No Andor With out Kathleen Kennedy

Andor is over—however its affect will linger on as one in every of Star Wars‘ proudest accomplishments. The Disney+ present gained over followers and critics not simply with its thrilling story and performances, however by pushing the boundaries of what the sci-fi franchise had ever tried earlier than. For you could thank its creator, Tony Gilroy—who in flip has one particular person he’d wish to thank: Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy.

In truth, as Gilroy revealed in a brand new interview with Vanity Fair, he nearly walked away from Andor till Kennedy intervened. “There was a time period the place I actually needed the present to die and I needed to get out of it,” Gilroy admitted, and mentioned he was really hopeful that the pandemic would “kill the present” so he wouldn’t need to do it.

He defined his reluctance was as a result of he’d began to comprehend simply how a lot work Andor was going to require, and the way unprepared he felt about it. In the beginning, he mentioned, “I used to be simply completely naive about what it will take to make the present. I actually didn’t know what I used to be doing in any respect, by way of the scope of labor.”

Nonetheless, the pause necessitated by covid really ended up serving to the present somewhat than signing its loss of life warrant. “Throughout that spell, we actually found out how to make it,” Gilroy mentioned. “We found out a system to do it and received sufficient of a reset and a deep breath.”

All through, he mentioned, Kennedy “protected the present and guarded me.” She additionally proved extraordinarily keen to take dangers, even with materials as sacred as Star Wars.

“After we began difficult Kathy, Kathy simply saved saying sure,” Gilroy recalled. “‘Oh, I’m going to place the primary scene in a brothel.’ ‘Okay.’ ‘I’m going to have them kill two cops.’ ‘Okay.’ ‘We wish the manufacturing designer from Chernobyl.‘ ‘Okay, good thought.’ She backed our play and received all the pieces that we had been doing.”

Although Gilroy admitted he doesn’t know what George Lucas thinks of Andor—or even when Lucas has really watched it; extremely, they’ve by no means met in particular person—he had Kennedy’s blessing and that was sufficient. “We’ve been via all the pieces, she and I, on this—all the great and all of the dangerous,” he mentioned.

“There’s no present with out her. For all of the shit that she takes on-line, it’s simply insane. This present exists as a result of she pressured it to occur. What a tricky job she has, man.”

You’ll be able to watch each seasons of Andor (and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story when you’re at it) on Disney+.

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