Filmmaking is an inherently collaborative process, but the end result is far better when it’s primarily the result of one individual’s vision. It’s the major reason why Star Wars: Andor is universally deemed the best thing Disney has done with Star Wars thus far, big screen or small. The sequel trilogy may have been bungled, but from beginning to end, the two-season Andor was a sublime political thriller set in a galaxy far, far away. And, as it turns out, Disney is to thank for Tony Gilroy’s show being a product of his distinctive vision all the way through.
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It’s not uncommon for big studios to step in and micromanage projects (especially when they fall under the umbrella of an A-list IP). All of them have done it. But according to Gilroy himself, he was given full creative control over Andor, with the exception of a single note.
What Was the Single Note Disney Gave on Andor?
Getting just one recommendation or request from a production house is practically unheard of. But that was precisely the case for Andor, as Gilroy revealed to the listening audience at the ATX TV Festival (hat tip ComingSoon). Specifically, he was told to excise a single line of dialogue delivered by Fiona Shaw’s Maarva Andor, one of the most beloved characters not just of the show, but perhaps of Star Wars history as a whole.
Maarva Andor dies of natural causes towards the tail end of Season 1, but not before she had time to record a speech for a hologram to be shown to the people of Ferrix, so they would rise up against the Imperial forces occupying her home. It’s a powerful speech, one that rouses the crowd and angers the Empire.
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She concludes that speech with, “There is a wound that won’t heal at the center of the galaxy. There is a darkness reaching like rust into everything around us. We let it grow, and now it’s here. It’s here and it’s not visiting anymore. It wants to stay. The Empire is a disease that thrives in darkness. It is never more alive than when we sleep. It’s easy for the dead to tell you to fight, and maybe it’s true, maybe fighting is useless. Perhaps it’s too late. But I’ll tell you this … If I could do it again, I’d wake up early and be fighting these bastards … from the start. Fight the Empire!”
The note Disney gave involved that closing bit of the speech. Initially, she finished off with “F*** the Empire!” not “Fight the Empire!” According to Gilroy, Disney said, “‘Can you please not do that?’” It’s a tiny note and, admittedly, the replacement line comes across just as naturally, if not more so.
Among its many other accomplishments is the fact that Andor has made Rogue One: A Star Wars Story even better. The Disney+ series leads perfectly into that 2016 blockbuster. What could have been a cash grab is instead a necessary, must-see piece of Star Wars history.
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