Andor's B2EMO Is Played By The Perfect Droid Actor
Droids are important aspects of the "Star Wars" galaxy, and there are just as many different droid variants as alien species in the immensely popular "Star Wars" franchise. From the very onset of the original "Star Wars" movie, fans were greeted by the neurotic C-3PO (Anthony Daniels) and what can only be assumed to be a stoic R2-D2 (Kenny Baker), who expressed their personality with a series of beeps. Of course, there are many other droids in the series, and they populate a great deal of scenes. Who can forget Jabba the Hutt's infamous droid overseer or the robotic bounty hunter known as IG-88, who has a ridiculous backstory?
Besides these droids, each of the "Star Wars" spin-off shows has had experiences with droids. The first episode of "The Mandalorian" features a gun-wielding IG unit named IG-11, while "Obi-Wan Kenobi" shows off a cute droid in the possession of a young Princess Leia (Vivien Lyra Blair) known as Lola. However, it looks like Disney's latest "Star Wars" spin-off "Andor" is continuing the trend with a droid known as B2EMO, which is piloted by a "Star Wars" veteran.
B2EMO is played by the same puppeteer that controlled BB-8
"Andor" is a prequel to "Star Wars: Rogue One," and it follows Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) as he makes the journey from apprehensive loner to a full-blown Rebel Alliance leader. Fans even get a chance to see him as a child and how he became who he is. In the first episode, Andor speaks with his family's droid known as B2EMO, or just Bee or B2 for short. Andor gives the robot a command to lie for him, but one can sense the reluctance in the droid's voice. Luckily for longtime fans of the "Star Wars" franchise, B2 is played by Dave Chapman. According to IMDb, Chapman played BB-8 in the new "Star Wars" trilogy, and he has an extensive history in puppetry, having lent his talents to "The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance" and "Muppet Treasure Island."
In an interview on YouTube, the veteran puppeteer Chapman was asked how hard it was to control BB-8, and he replied, "Well, it is easy to control him, so he never gets out of control." He added, "It's just about the precision of what he's looking at, and what his thoughts are and how clean that can be." This sounds like Chapman considers BB-8 a character just like any other and that he tries to get in the "mind" of the droid in order to deliver an authentic performance. No wonder the plucky and retro-looking B2 can be so endearing, and that is because it is controlled by somebody with extensive experience with droids and "Star Wars."