The Andor Cast Treated The Horrifying Prison Scenes Like Theater
It's no secret that we here at /Film think "Andor" is one of the best pieces of "Star Wars" media ever. If we weren't already convinced by the first handful of episodes, then the prison storyline for the titular antihero (Diego Luna) solidified this. Cassian's experiences and the brutal exploration of outer space prison industrial complexes remain one of the highlights of the entire franchise.
Thankfully, according to the cast and crew at the "The Making of 'Andor' Season One" panel at "Star Wars" Celebration, those scenes weren't nearly as heart-wrenching to film as they were to watch. However, that didn't mean they weren't just as intense. That's because they implemented a theatrical approach to some of these scenes, particularly those set in the harrowing Narkina 5 prison. This included rehearsing big action scenes while the sets were still being built.
"We rehearsed that scene like theater," said Luna during the panel. "We got to the place when [the set team] were building [the prison], and we saw everything there, and then we rehearsed the whole thing many times before we had to shoot it. Everything was mechanical, everything was happening."
Visualizing the horrors of imperialism
Sets are arguably the most important part of any play or musical. Sure, every technical or performance-based aspect can be top-notch, but if the sets on stage aren't right, then the immersion is completely lost. Even if "Andor" is a television show, Narkina 5 was treated just like a sacred stage set. Every detail had to be just right, or the show's themes and messaging would be totally lost. That's precisely why creator/showrunner Tony Gilroy had to have numerous conversations with the art department while Narkina 5 was in the concept art phase. Even if the prison is bleakly minimalist, it also had to be almost painfully immersive to demonstrate the pain of its inhabitants.
"The concept was that [the prisons] have been designed by the Empire to make the prisoners feel as dehumanized and disempowered as possible," said production designer Luke Hull.
With its all-white interiors and electrocuting floors, Narkina 5 was itself a character in "Andor," not unlike how great stage productions use their sets as characters. It looks and feels so real within the confines of a television screen that you feel like you've been thrust into it in real life. The way that the actors interact with the set also proves that they've been practicing with it through all stages of production, adding to its realism. "Andor" may not have worked as a film, but you can absolutely see it play out on the stage, and that is one of its biggest advantages.
"Andor" season 2 is tentatively expected to premiere in August 2024.