Another new “Star Wars” series has arrived on Disney+, but this one is different. “Andor” is set years before the events of “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” and follows the exploits of Diego Luna’s Cassian Andor, but in contrast to the previous live-action shows like “The Mandalorian” and “Obi-Wan Kenobi,” this is a decidedly grounded and gritty take on the “Star Wars” universe – and one completely devoid of Jedi and Sith and bounty hunters. In short, it’s a “Star Wars” story set in a new pocket of the universe, about real people struggling with the very real oppression of the Empire.
Luna anchors the ensemble but there’s an impressive cast of characters that show up in the first few episodes, and no doubt many more to come throughout the 12-episode first season.
Check out our complete (and spoiler-free) “Andor” cast and character guide below for the first three episodes. We’ll update it accordingly as the season progresses.
Diego Luna as Cassian Andor
Luna reprises his “Rogue One” role as Cassian, but this version of the character is quite different from the one we meet in that film. In “Andor,” Cassian is adrift and cynical, paying little attention to the larger world around him and working as a part-time machinist on the scrapper planet of Fennix. That is, until he runs afoul of the Empire.
Luna first broke out in Alfonso Cuaron’s 2001 film “Y tu mama Tambien” and subsequently starred in movies ranging from “The Terminal” to “Milk.” He played Felix Gallardo in the first two seasons of the Netflix series “Narcos: Mexico.”
Stellan Skarsgård as Luthen Rael
Stellan Skarsgård plays new character Luthen Rael, a historian and collector who moonlights as a rebel architect. When running across Cassian, he encourages him to join the rebellion. Skarsgård is an accomplished veteran actor whose credits range from “Good Will Hunting” to “Pirates of the Caribbean” to “Mamma Mia!” to “Dune.” Recently, Skarsgård was Emmy-nominated for his performance in HBO’s limited series “Chernobyl.”
Adria Arjona as Bix Caleen
Bix is a longtime ally of Andor’s, whose long and shadowy relationship with the smuggler causes some complications in her personal life. She works at a local shop on Fennix selling starship parts and has a romantic relationship with one of her coworkers, who predictably isn’t Andor’s biggest fan. Soon, Bix will find herself drawn into the same revolution for which Andor will become a leader.
Arjona played Dorothy in the short-lived NBC series “Emerald City” and Anathema in “Good Omens.” Her roles also include “Morbius,” “Triple Frontier,” “6 Underground” and 2022’s “Father of the Bride.”
Kyle Soller as Syril
Syril emerges as the primary antagonist of “Andor” early on, as the Imperial officer investigating the deaths of two Imperial officers. His dogged pursuit of the truth mirrors that of a detective intent on catching a killer. Soller starred on the series “Poldark” as Francis Poldark and appeared in films like “Anna Karenina” and “The Trip to Spain” in addition to his extensive theater work.
Fiona Shaw as Maarva
A member of the proto-Rebellion, Maarva arrived on the backwater planet of Fest, where an Imperial mining operation had left the land barren and the children forced to raise themselves. (One of those children is, of course, Andor.) It’s implied that she has raised him as an adoptive mother (they live together currently on Fennix), with B2EMO as their loyal family dog. She is soon roped into the larger mystery as the noose begins to tighten around Andor’s neck. Maarva might not condone Andor’s shadier behavior but she stands behind him, 100%.
Shaw is an award-winning performer who is likely best known for playing Petunia Dursley in the “Harry Potter” series, with other notable roles in “True Blood,” “Killing Eve” and “Enola Holmes.”
