A cherished character from the Star Wars universe has recently been given a new actor. In the second season’s sixth episode, instead of the usual face, Jimmy Smits, Bail Organa was briefly shown, but it was Benjamin Bratt who stepped into the role of the rebellion hero this time around.
In the episode titled “What a Festive Evening,” Mon Mothma (Genevieve O’Reilly) and her husband Perrin (Alastair Mackenzie) were en route to a party when they encountered Bail Organa, who was leaving. Notably, this was the debut of actor Bratt stepping into the iconic character’s shoes, as original actor Temuera Morrison was unavailable during filming for Andor Season 2. Showrunner Tony Gilroy explained that “it just didn’t work out in terms of scheduling. We put a lot of effort into it, but he wasn’t available and couldn’t make the arrangements.”
Gilroy acknowledged that reviving old characters like Forest Whitaker’s Saw Gerrera can be quite tricky due to various complexities such as cost, availability, and coordination. He explained, “It’s a challenging task. It’s expensive, it’s about finding the right time when everyone is available. A great deal of work went into figuring out the scheduling issues, but unfortunately, we couldn’t make it happen.
Regarding who was chosen to play Bail Organa 2.0, director Gilroy shared that it was his own idea to cast the ex-Law & Order actor, Bratt. Kathy came up with the suggestion for Benjamin Bratt and it was an exceptional idea, according to Gilroy. He’s a fantastic individual, highly motivated, well-liked on set, and genuinely enthusiastic about his work.
Bail Organa Isn’t the First Star Wars Character to Be Recast
In the Star Wars universe, Jimmy Smits initially played Bail Organa in the prequels, appearing in Episodes II and III. Later, he reappeared in Rogue One from 2016, a film that precedes Andor and Obi-Wan Kenobi on Disney+. Some Star Wars enthusiasts might be disheartened by this recasting of Bail Organa, but it’s worth noting that the franchise has had to introduce new actors for established characters before. In this case, Jimmy O’Reilly steps into the role of Bail in live-action, while Hayden Christensen took over from Jake Lloyd as the older Anakin Skywalker. Characters who first appeared in animation have also been recast when they transitioned to live-action, with Rosario Dawson portraying Ahsoka instead of Ashley Eckstein, a fan favorite.
In “What a Festive Evening” won’t be the sole occasion we see Bail Organa, as Gilroy clarified to Entertainment Weekly. He hinted that Bail’s appearance in Episode 6 was more of a prelude, setting the stage for his reappearance in future episodes. He stated, “I placed him in episode 6 in a strategic manner to get the speculation out of the way before he truly becomes significant again next time.
You can watch “Andor” on Disney+, as the following three episodes from its final season will be released on May 6.
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2025-04-30 22:59