Every aspect ofTony Gilroy’s critically acclaimed seriesAndorhas been painstakingly planned out, whether it’s the incredibly realistic settings crafted by production designerLuke Hull, the stirring score from composerNicholas Britell, or the stunning costumes designed by Academy Award-nominated costumerMichael Wilkinson. During an interview with Collider’s ownMaggie Lovitt, Wilkinson shared how the costumes are designed to hide the true intentions of the characters in the series.
Throughout the early episodes of the series, Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) wears a lot of layers that seem to weigh him down. In the premiere, he’s hidden away under the hood of his jacket, before donning several layers of leather and textured fabrics to trudge through the streets of Ferrix. Later, when he’s been whisked away to act as a mercenary for Luthen Rael (Stellan Skarsgård) on Aldhani, he’s draped in ponchos and bundled up with a hat that looks similar to Russia’s iconic shapka ushanka hats. It’s only when he runs away from home with the credits that he earned from the mission, that he lightens up and loses all of those layers—literally. Of course, that brief taste of freedom and relaxation on Naimos is cut short by shoretroopers looking to arrest anyone they deem as “suspicious,” which indicates that unwinding comes with consequences for Cassian. When asked about this very intentional use of costuming, Wilkinson explained:
“I’m really glad you noticed that because it was really one of the things that really appealed to me about this project, was this idea of disguises and all the main characters really, Mon Mothma, Cassian, and Bix, they’re all using their clothes to hide their true selves because they’re living in a world where it’s dangerous for them to reveal their true natures.”
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Cassian Andor was first introduced to audiences inRogue One: A Star Wars Story, which focused on the lead-up toStar Wars: A New Hope, and the tragic band of rebels known as “Rogue One,” who sacrificed their lives to ensure that the Death Star plans got into the right hands. WithAndor, Tony Gilroy has been tasked with exploring the five years leading up to the events that brought a swift, and tragic end to Cassian’s life. While the premiere showed that some aspects of his personality remain unchanged by the time he’s fully embedded in the Rebellion’s efforts, the last ten episodes have shown Cassian as a reluctant part of rebellious activities. Wilkinson explained how he approached interpreting this slow change through Cassian’s wardrobe, explaining:
“With Cassian, I have this design conundrum. I’ve got a leading character that needs to disappear, not draw attention to himself, hiding in his clothes. But as he is our lead actor, he still has to be compelling and have some swagger and be something that the audience is drawn to. So the arc of his costumes over the 12 episodes is going from hiding in his clothes, layers, bundling up on cold Ferrix, and he’s a bit of a mess-up. He is messing things up. He’s having to loan money from people. He’s not really getting his shit together. He’s not the hero that we know and love fromRogue One. But as he goes through the season, you see him shedding layers a little bit and his silhouettes become a bit more tailored, longer lines, the shoulders become square, and he’s transforming subtly into the hero that we know and love fromRogue One. So that was my thinking behind his costumes.”
During the interview with Collider, Wilkison confirmed that he will be returning to design the costumes for Season 2. Pre-production on Season 2 has already begun,with Gilroy confirming to Collider that the first shots will take place on November 21. In addition to confirming thatAriel Kleiman,Janus Metz, andAlonso Ruizpalacioswould be joining to direct, Tony Gilroy also revealed that his brotherDan GilroyandBeau Willimonwill be returning to write the second season, along with newcomerTom Bissell,and that the events of Season 2 will take the series to Yavin.
Aside from Cassian Andor, the series has already reintroduced audiences to Mon Mothma (Genevieve O’Reilly), Saw Gerrera (Forest Whitaker), and Melshi (Duncan Pow) who played a part in the events ofRogue One. While it seems likeSkarsgårdwill likely return for Season 2, the fates ofAdria Arjona,Fiona Shaw,KyleSoller,Denise Gough,Elizabeth Dulau,Faye Marsay, andVarada Sethuare not yet known.
Stay tuned for our full interview with Wilkinson later this week. In the meantime, check out our interview with the series’ star below:
