Where You've Seen The Cast Of Andor Before

Following up on the success of Disney+ "Star Wars" shows like "The Mandalorian" and "Obi-Wan Kenobi," "Andor" delivers a different kind of story — a gritty, ground-level spy saga set in the years leading up to "A New Hope." As the title implies, the series primarily follows Diego Luna's Cassian Andor character, an agent of the Rebel Alliance who first debuted in the franchise during "Rogue One." "Andor" follows its protagonist through the earlier years of his freedom-fighting, showing how he became the man seen in the Gareth Edwards film.

Of course, while Andor's name is the one in the show's title, he's far from the only character of note. A number of other classic "Star Wars" characters join him in his battle against the Empire, in addition to a lot of brand new faces. Because of the wide reach of the Rebellion, "Andor" plays host to a wide variety of different characters from all corners of the "Star Wars" galaxy, and Disney has clearly assembled the cast accordingly.

As is par for the course with Disney's "Star Wars" shows, even the more minor "Andor" characters are played by actors who fans will probably recognize. Here's where you've seen the cast of "Andor" before.

Irish actor Genevieve O'Reilly returns to the "Star Wars" franchise as Mon Mothma in "Andor." While the fan-favorite role of the rebel leader was first played by Caroline Blakiston in "Return of the Jedi," O'Reilly took over the part in 2005's "Revenge of the Sith" and has been the go-to Mon Mothma ever since. She returned in "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story" alongside Diego Luna's Cassian Andor, and she voiced the character in several episodes of "Star Wars Rebels." "Andor" adds more dimension to the Mon Mothma character than ever before, detailing both her backstory and personal life as well as her many political dealings and her role in forming the Rebel Alliance.

Of course, O'Reilly isn't known simply for her role in the "Star Wars" franchise. She's been a prolific TV star since the early 2000s, playing characters like Leanne Curtis in the medical drama "All Saints," Caroline Hanley in the 2006 political miniseries "The State Within," Sarah Caulfield in the U.K. spy series "MI-5," and Frances Pirsig in Maggie Gyllenhaal's "The Honorable Woman." More recently, O'Reilly has also appeared in shows like the sci-fi mystery "Glitch" and the acclaimed Amazon series "Tin Star," in which she plays lead character Angela Worth. On film, O'Reilly is known for the 2019 biopic "Tolkien," the family adventure movie "The Kid Who Would Be King," and for her role as Officer Wirtz in "The Matrix Reloaded" and "The Matrix Revolutions."

A veteran of both the large and small screens, actor Stellan Skarsgård brings his talents to the "Star Wars" universe in "Andor" as the rebel leader Luthen Rael. Unlike many of the rebel characters previously featured in the franchise, Luthen is a cold and calculating freedom fighter with little concern for anything other than the mission at hand. He's seen the brutality of Emperor Palpatine's regime firsthand and is willing to go to great lengths to stop it. To that end, he recruits Cassian Andor to the rebel cause, ultimately bringing in one of the Alliance's most valuable assets.

Though he's never appeared in "Star wars" before, Skarsgård is no stranger to fantastical Disney franchises. He's played scientist Erik Selvig in the Marvel Cinematic Universe since the original "Thor" in 2011, as well as portraying Bootstrap Bill in the "Pirates of the Caribbean" films. Though he acted in lots of European films and TV series throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Skarsgård didn't become a big name in Hollywood until the '90s, when his roles in movies like "The Hunt for Red October," "Good Will Hunting," and "The Unbearable Lightness of Being" brought him more international attention.

More recently, Skarsgård has featured in films like the 2015 live-action "Cinderella" remake, "Dune" (as the villainous Baron Vladimir Harkonnen), and "Mamma Mia!" He's also starred in TV series like "River" and HBO's "Chernobyl."

As "Andor" is a prequel to the story of "Rogue One," it makes sense that Forest Whitaker would return to reprise the role of extremist rebel insurgent Saw Gerrera. In the movie, Gerrera is portrayed as a half-crazed freedom fighter whose many years spent fighting the Empire have driven him to embrace morally questionable tactics. Even within the larger scope of the rebellion, Gerrera is viewed as something of a loose cannon, but there's no arguing with his results. "Andor" shows a slightly younger version of the character than the one seen in "Rogue One," but his serious demeanor and hatred of oppression are still very much intact.

An Oscar winner, Whitaker has appeared in a number of acclaimed dramas over the years. His more famous roles include Big Harold in the Vietnam War film "Platoon," Edward Garlick in the Robin Williams-led "Good Morning, Vietnam," Tick Wills in the boxing drama "Southpaw," and Desmond Tutu in "The Forgiven." He's also featured in several major TV series, such as "Empire," "Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior," and "Godfather of Harlem."

Outside of "Star Wars," Whitaker has appeared in several other prominent sci-fi films, including the 2016 epic "Arrival" and the MCU's "Black Panther." In 2006, Whitaker won the Academy Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role for "The Last King of Scotland," in which he plays former Ugandan dictator Idi Amin.

Adria Arjona plays the role of Bix Caleen in "Andor" — a businesswoman with a complicated past and a history with Diego Luna's Cassian Andor. While trying to carve out a life for herself on the cutthroat planet Ferrix, Bix gets caught up in some of Cassian's less-than-legal activities and winds up in over her head. Bix provides a powerful reminder of what life under Palptine's imperial regime looks like for regular citizens, and Arjona brings the characters to life brilliantly.

Though young, Arjona has already made a name for herself as a TV star. After a repeat appearance on the CBS crime serial "Person of Interest," she broke out in the role of Emily in "True Detective" Season 2. Arjona got her first TV starring role on the short-lived NBC "Wizard of Oz" adaptation "Emerald City," in which she played protagonist Dorothy Gale. While that show was canceled after just one season, Arjona quickly moved on to other projects like the Neil Gaiman adaptation "Good Omens" (playing the role of Anathema Device) and the HBO miniseries "Irma Vep," alongside Alicia Vikander.

On the big screen, Arjona is best known for roles like Jules Reyes in "Pacific Rim: Uprising," Amanda Cooper in "Sweet Girl," Martine Bancroft in "Morbius," and Sofia Herrera in the 2022 remake of "Father of the Bride."

American stage actor Kyle Soller joins the "Star Wars" story in "Andor" as Syril Karn, a villain with a complicated role. Syril is introduced as an agent of a private security corporation contracted by the Empire to rule a region of the galaxy. He takes a special interest in the peace-disturbing antics of Cassian Andor and launches a campaign to hunt him down, but things don't go exactly as he plans. In a franchise filled with cackling villains, Syril presents a more human foe, and Soller brings a lot of nuance to the part.

Though American, Soller started his professional acting career on the British stage, eventually winning the prestigious Olivier Award for Best Actor for his role in "The Inheritance" in 2019. However, Soller has also made a name for himself on both the large and small screens. He's played the eponymous Ross Poldark's cousin Francis in the BBC historical drama "Poldark," Scotty McNeil in the miniseries "You, me and the Apocalypse," and Clifford in the big-budget Shakespeare adaptation "The Hollow Crown," among other TV roles. His film credits include movies like "Anna Karenina," Netflix's "The Titan," and "Marrowbone."

In addition to his live-action roles, Soller is an experienced voice actor. He's played vocal parts in shows like "101 Dalmatian Street" and "Counterfeit Cat," as well as in video games like "Alien Isolation," "Kinect Sports Rivals," "Horizon Forbidden West," and the "Dragon Quest" series.

Veteran Irish actor Fiona Shaw plays the unique role of Maarva in "Andor," Cassian's adoptive mother. The two have an interesting relationship to say the least, beginning with a chance and fraught encounter when Cassian was still just a young boy. In addition to looking out for him in his youth, Maarva is an experienced pilot, smuggler, and scavenger, making her way through the galaxy with her sharp wits and a very particular set of skills. Just like the man she helped raise, she isn't one to frighten easily, even when the agents of the Empire are at the door.

Listing all of Shaw's screen roles would take a whole article in itself, which speaks to just how prolific she's been in her career. Her most famous role is almost certainly that of Petunia Dursley in the "Harry Potter" movies, but she's had credits in many other major films, including "The Tree of Life," "Enola Holmes," "The Black Dahlia," "Anna Karenina," and the "Super Mario Bros." movie. Shaw is arguably even more accomplished as a TV actor, with roles to her name that include Marnie Stonebrook in the HBO vampire drama "True Blood," Carolyn in "Killing Eve," Marla Painter in "Channel Zero," and Emma Chambers in "Baptiste." Even some of Shaw's smaller roles are extremely memorable, such as her guest spot as the therapist in Season 2 of Phoebe Waller-Bridge's "Fleabag."

While she may not have as many credits under her belt yet as her fellow Irish "Andor" co-star Fiona Shaw, Denise Gough is still a lauded star of both the stage and screen. Gough plays Dedra Meero in the "Star Wars" series, an Imperial intelligence officer tasked with keeping sparks of rebellion suppressed. Brilliant, tenacious, and downright frightening when she wants to be, Dedra presents one of the biggest threats to Cassian in the series. Gough plays the role expertly, diving deep into the complexities of the character that dwell just beneath the surface.

A two-time Olivier Award winner, Gough has received significant acclaim for her work on stage. However, she's also assembled some impressive film and TV credits over the years. She's played Dianna Lafferty in the FX true crime miniseries "Under the Banner of Heaven," the titular starring role in BBC limited series "Paula," Fallon in Showtime's "Guerrilla," and Liz Fletcher in "What Remains,' among other TV roles. On film, Gough has played characters like Mary in "The Kid Who Would Be King" (alongside "Andor" co-star Genevieve O'Reilly), Linda Connolly in "A Dark Place," and Charlotte Kauffmann in "The Good Traitor."

Like fellow "Andor" cast member Kyle Soller, Gough also has a lot of credits as a video game voice actor. She actually first debuted in the "Star Wars" universe in the 2015 shooter "Star Wars: Battlefront," and she's featured in other big releases like "XCOM 2," "The Witcher 3," and "Mass Effect: Andromeda."

Actor Alex Ferns plays the role of Sgt. Kostek in "Andor," an agent of the same private security corporation that employs Syril Karn. When Syril decides to go after Cassian Andor personally, Kostek is his first call, and the two plan an operation that ends up being far more than either of them bargained for.

Ferns is no stranger to playing deplorable villains, as he gained fame in the early 2000s for playing the vile Trevor Morgan on the long-running British soap opera EastEnders. Following that, he appeared in a number of other TV series, including "Making Waves," "Casualty," "24: Live Another Day," and "The Passing Bells." More recently, Ferns has played roles like McLean in the Tom Hardy-led film "Legend," Alistair in the dark fantasy series "Wolfblood," Rick Harper in the TV drama "River City," and Vic Collins in Netflix's "The Irregulars."

"Andor" viewers may recognize Ferns most recently as police commissioner Pete Savage in "The Batman," or as Glukhov in the HBO limited series "Chernobyl." In 2020, the actor played the part of Gay Bill on National Geographic's "Barkskins," and in 2021 he appeared as John in the Jason Statham action thriller "Wrath of Man."

"Andor" spends a good amount of time exploring the Imperial Security Bureau — an intelligence division of the Empire dedicated to protecting the status quo from would-be rebels. One of the leaders of the bureau is played by veteran TV star Anton Lesser, who bring an unsettling calm to his various monologues as the tyrannical officer. The series gives an interesting look inside the oppressive machine that Emperor Palpatine builds, and Lesser is perfectly cast as one of the Sith Lord's most experienced operatives.

While he might not have the largest role in "Andor," Lesser is one of the most prolific members of the cast. His highest-profile character to date is almost certainly the dastardly Maester Qyburn in "Game of Thrones," but you might also recognize him as Thomas More from the BBC Two historical drama "Wolf Hall" or as Prime Minister Harold Macmillan in Netflix's "The Crown." His other major TV roles include Reginald Bright in the British crime serial "Endeavour," Exeter in "The Hollow Crown," and Fagin in "Dickensian."

In addition to his extensive work in television, which stretches back to the late 1970s, Lesser has also been in a number of major films. He played Prime Minister Clement Attlee in the 2016 romantic drama "A United Kingdom," Lord John Carteret in "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides," and Harold Warne in "Miss Potter." His other notable credits include "Primeval" and "Spies of Warsaw."

"Star Wars" doesn't have a bunch of regular mother-son relationships. In most cases, the mother either dies in childbirth, gets tortured by Tusken Raiders, or the son becomes an evil agent of the dark side. "Andor" flips this script with the character of Eedy Karn — Syril Karn's mother — who gets pulled into her son's crusade against Cassian Andor after things start going awry.

Kathryn Hunter is the actor who brings Eady Karn to life. While she's most famous for her extensive work on the U.K. stage, especially in the realms of classical and physical theater, Hunter has also had some pretty prominent onscreen roles in recent years. She played the witches in Joel Coen's 2021 adaptation of Shakespeare's "The Tragedy of MacBeth," appearing opposite Denzel Washington, and she featured as Arabella Figg in "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix." Prior to "Andor," Hunter's TV credits included Charmian in "Rome," Madame Victurnien in 2019's "Les Misérables," and Tabitha Edwards in the 2021 HBO series "Landscapers." Hunter also voiced the character of Gorn in the animated series "TRON: Uprising."

Diego Luna may be known best by "Star Wars" fans as Cassian Andor in "Rogue One," but that's far from the only major role this movie star has played in his career. Following an extended tenure on the telenovela "La vida en el espejo" and appearances in several other similar series, Luna rose to big-screen prominence thanks to his leading role in Alfonso Cuarón's critically acclaimed film "Y tu mamá también."

In the decades since, Luna has been featured in a long list of movies and TV shows, both in Hollywood and in Mexico. Some of his more prominent film roles include Jack Lira in the Harvey Milk biopic "Milk," Julio in the Neill Blomkamp sci-fi actioner "Elysium," Pedrocito in "If Beale Street Could Talk," and Alejandro in 2002's "Frida." The actor is arguably even more prolific on the small screen, however. In addition to starring in "Andor," Luna gained significant fame for playing the lead role of Mexican drug cartel leader Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo in the Netflix crime drama "Narcos: Mexico," for which he's earned numerous awards and nominations.

Luna has also done quite a bit of voice acting more recently in his career, especially in the realm of children's animation. He's voiced Krel in Netflix's "Tales of Arcadia" franchise and Zatz in the animated series "Maya and the Three,' in addition to other vocal roles.