'Andor' Casts 'Chernobyl' And 'His Dark Materials' Actor Robert Emms

Andor has added another cast member to its rogueish ensemble. Chernobyl and His Dark Materials actor Robert Emms has joined the Andor cast, boarding the Disney+ spin-off series of Rogue One that is currently in production in the U.K.

Deadline reports that Emms has been cast in a supporting role in Andor, though there were no further details available about his character. Emms is best known for his appearances in TV shows like Atlantis, Happy Valley, Chernobyl, His Dark Materials, and Cleaning Up, though he's also popped up in feature films like War Horse, Apostasy, and Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom.

Emms will be joining a cast that includes Diego Luna, who is reprising his role as Rebel Cassian Andor from Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, as well as Adria Arjona, Denise Gough, Genevieve O'Reilly, Stellan Skarsgard, Fiona Shaw, and Kyle Soller.

Set to be a 12-episode series, Andor takes place in 5 BBY (Before the Battle of Yavin), which refers to the battle that destroys the Death Star in Star Wars: A New Hope, and follows the origins of Luna's swaggering Rebel Cassian Andor. When the project was first announced, it was described as a "rousing spy thriller" that "will explore tales filled with espionage and daring missions to restore hope to a galaxy in the grip of a ruthless Empire."

It's hard to tell how Emms will fit into the cast, as he's mostly played supporting or bit parts in the titles in which he's appeared. He's got a face for genre shows, at the very least, and can easily play techie guys, shady characters, or timid sidekicks. So he will likely help fill out the ranks of the Rebellion as they continue their fight against the Empire.

The series is currently shooting in the U.K., with Toby Haynes acting as lead director. Deadline refers to the 12 episodes as the "first season," which is another thing that's hard to imagine, as there's only so many things that Cassian Andor can get up to before he ultimately faces his doom during the events of Rogue One. But I guess four or five years gives a lot of leeway for Lucasfilm and Disney+ to play around with the world and the characters — perhaps expanding the focus of the show away from just Cassian Andor and toward a greater ensemble. They would definitely have to rename the show moving forward, though.

Ben Caron and Susanna White will also direct episodes of Andor, and writers include Stephen Schiff and Tony Gilroy. Filming is due to wrap this summer.Andor is set to debut on Disney+ sometime in 2022.