Star Wars: Andor Actor Reveals How Their Character Addresses Gender Issues in the Galactic Empire

The live-action adventures in the galaxy far, far away have seen a number of male figures become prominent members of the Galactic Empire, but a number of female Imperials have proven their prowess in sprawling Star Wars tales, with Star Wars: Andor actor Denise Gough recently revealing that elements of her character will address gender issues in the sci-fi saga. Of course, Gough’s Imperial officer Dedra Meero will have a number of complex layers to her that will be facets of the narrative, which includes how being a member of the Galactic Empire as a woman brings with it a different set of challenges from a man. Star Wars: Andor premieres on Disney+ on September 21st.

“As a woman, in that world, for her to advance in any way, she has to be like 10 times better than anyone else in that room. And that felt really relevant to everything we’re going through right now,” Gough revealed to Total Film, per GamesRadar. The actor noted that this dynamic might inspire sympathy for her character among viewers, though the actor herself detailed, “It’s a clever thing to do, to show you how hard she has to work … It kind of brings you in to feel cheerleader-y for her — and then you’ll be like, ‘She’s a psycho!’ So be careful supporting her…”

Given that the first season of the series consists of 12 episodes, the titular character won’t be the only thing audiences will be exploring, as showrunner Tony Gilroy promised, “We have a very, very, very deep dive into the Imperial side of the story.”

The Andor series will explore a new perspective from the Star Wars galaxy, focusing on Cassian Andor’s journey to discover the difference he can make. The series brings forward the tale of the burgeoning rebellion against the Empire and how people and planets became involved. It’s an era filled with danger, deception, and intrigue where Cassian will embark on the path that is destined to turn him into a rebel hero.

Kyle Soller plays another Imperial in the series, Syril Karn, who will also be a central figure in the new series.

“Syril is a very intense, determined character who believes he’s destined for great things,” Soller detailed. “One of those great things is upholding justice at all costs; another is squashing any signs of dissent or rebellious activity, which obviously relates to our hero.”

Star Wars: Andor premieres on Disney+ on September 21st.

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