“F*** Yeah, Absolutely”: One Rogue One Actor Was Thrilled To Be Invited Back For Andor Season 2

Ben Mendelsohn, who played Orson Krennic in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, was ecstatic to be asked back for Andor season 2, according to this new interview. Rogue One is largely considered one of Star Wars’ best movies, which is particularly impressive given it is one of very few Star Wars movies outside the Skywalker Saga (and its counterparts, such as Solo: A Star Wars Story, were not nearly as successful). It makes sense that Andor, which is in some ways a ‘prequel’ to Rogue One, would therefore be among Star Wars’ best TV shows.

It seems Rogue One’s Orson Krennic actor Ben Mendelsohn was aware Andor would uphold the quality and integrity of the movie, based on his response to being asked back. In an interview with Variety, Mendelsohn described his response to Andor showrunner Tony Gilroy asking him to return to Star Wars in Andor season 2:

Tony just said, ‘Would you be amenable to coming back and just doing a few scenes?’ To which I was like, “F*** yeah, absolutely.’ ‘Michael Clayton’ is somewhere in my 25 most-loved films of all time. And Krennic and the whole ‘Star Wars’ experience was a really good one for me. But I had no idea how good it was going to be. It’s taken me by joyous surprise.

Evidently, as excited as Mendelsohn was about returning in Andor, Andor season 2 exceeded his expectations—which bodes very well for the second half of the show that, at present, has yet to be released.

What Orson Krennic’s Return Means For Star Wars

Krennic Was A Brilliant Villain In Rogue One

One of the most impressive aspects of Rogue One is the flawless way in which it introduced brand-new characters that ended up being beloved by audiences. This is something that Star Wars has consistently struggled with, beginning decades ago. Yet, Rogue One managed to focus primarily on new characters and make them incredibly popular within the fanbase by the end. While the most obvious example is Cassian Andor, who is now the titular lead of his own show, several other Rogue One characters, including Orson Krennic, were fascinating.

Krennic, in particular, was a breath of fresh air because he was arguably the main villain of the movie, yet he was far from being a Sith Lord. In fact, not only was Krennic not Force-sensitive, but it was also clear that he answered to countless other people. This made his power a more complex and interesting one, as it was clear he was caught up in the bureaucracy even as he was trying to exert his authority. After decades of seeing Star Wars’ most powerful Sith, this really did come as a pleasant surprise.

Our Take On Ben Mendelsohn’s Return In Andor Season 2

It’s Wonderful To See Krennic In A New Light

As mentioned, Mendelsohn was fantastic in Rogue One, and Orson Krennic was undoubtedly one of the standouts of the movie. While Andor season 2 certainly doesn’t detract from that, it is thrilling to see Krennic at a different point in this era and, frankly, in his career. In Rogue One, Krennic was desperately trying to hold onto his power and prove that he hadn’t failed with Project Stardust. While that was interesting in its own right, Andor season 2 has so far shown an even more confident Krennic.

Or, as Mendelsohn put it in his Variety interview, “There’s a sort of a sense of him strutting around a bit more, and enjoying himself more. He’s having a better time here.” That confidence certainly shines through, and not just because he’s holding secret meetings with the express intention of hiding his actions from Tarkin, and it makes Krennic an absolute joy to watch. Clearly, Ben Mendelsohn was thrilled to be back as Orson Krennic in Andor season 2, and we’re so glad that he was.

Source: Variety

New episodes of Andor season 2 release weekly on Tuesdays at 9 PM EST/6 PM PST on Disney+.

Andor

8/10

Release Date

2022 – 2025-00-00

Network

Disney+

Showrunner

Tony Gilroy

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