Nina Gold and Martin Ware are not any strangers to the “Star Wars” universe, having beforehand labored on movies like “The Rise of Skywalker” and the collection “The Acolyte.” And the pair clearly know their U.Ok. expertise — final yr they shared the Emmy Award for casting the restricted collection “Child Reindeer,” which made sensations out of actors like Richard Gadd and Jessica Gunning.

They had been introduced on to solid the Disney Plus collection “Andor,” a prequel of the movie “Rogue One,” in its first season — which Gold admits was a difficult expertise because the pandemic hit proper within the midst of casting. However the second season, which simply wrapped an acclaimed run, was “a bit extra regular.” It helped that the primary season was so well-received and that creator and showrunner Tony Gilroy’s writing was impeccable. “The scripts are so sensible, actors simply love doing it,” reveals Ware. “You get actually sensible actors wanting to return in and play even smaller components. Each function is integral to the story, there’s no unfastened fats wherever within the writing and actors love that.”

Nonetheless, Season 2 had its challenges, similar to populating the planet Ghorman in a storyline that started to really feel too well timed. Ghorman is being overrun and oppressed by the Imperial Empire, which prompts ongoing protests by its residents and threatening the Empire’s rule. However the Empire launches a propaganda marketing campaign that these protests are harmful and violent, and sends in troops, culminating in Episode 8’s bloodshed, often called the Ghorman Bloodbath.

Laying the Groundwork

A number of nice actors reprised their “Andor” Season 1 roles from their roles “Rogue One” — most notably the lead, Cassian Andor (Diego Luna). Nonetheless, the casting administrators populated the “Andor” ensemble with some actual discoveries together with Elizabeth Dulau as Kleya Marki, who begins because the assistant to Stellan Skarsgård’s distinguished Insurgent operative Luthen Rael. “We went on a little bit of a journey earlier than discovering Elizabeth and it was mainly her first on-screen function,” says Ware.

Whereas extra established for his work on stage — together with an Olivier Award-winning flip in “The Inheritance” — Kyle Soller was solid as deputy inspector Syril Karn, primarily based on what Gold calls “probably the most mind-blowing audition you’ve ever seen.” Provides Ware, “He simply sort of got here in and spent a half-hour within the room with Tony and Tony mentioned, ‘That’s the man.’ So we didn’t really learn that many individuals.”

One other actor who was new to them was Muhannad Bhaier, who performs Wilmon Paak, a younger man who joins the rebel after his father is killed by the Empire. “He’s received a tiny half within the first season and have become a extremely huge a part of the second season,” says Ware, noting that the CDs didn’t know that may occur. “They simply beloved him, they had been raving about him a lot. And when Tony got here to speak to us concerning the second season he mentioned that they’d made an important half for him. He simply impressed them a lot, even with just a few strains within the first season.”

The Return

For Season 2 of “Andor,” Gold says they had been launched to plenty of French actors by Mathilde Snodgrass, a colleague in Paris, with a purpose to populate the planet of Ghorman. The individuals of the planet costume in garments that resemble on a regular basis Parisian appears of the Nineteen Thirties and the planet is thought for its superior fabric and fashions. Gilroy was impressed by that nation’s collection “Un Village Français” (“A French Village”) — in actual fact, that collection featured actor Thierry Godard, who was solid in “Andor” as Lezine, who criticizes the occupation of the planet.

Gold says that casting French actors was additionally “a great way to distinguish them as individuals from no matter planets we is perhaps speaking about.” One other problem was that the Ghormans can be talking a fictious language. Notes Ware, “We did speak to them about whether or not or not they might get their head round the concept they’re going to be performing fairly in-depth, emotional items in a very made-up language. They usually all threw themselves into it and had been sensible.”

One of many greatest duties of Season 2 was casting a younger model of Kleya. “That was a giant, intimidating problem,” admits Ware. “She’s received such a particular vibe that we wished to search out that in a child.” They ultimately positioned April V. Woods, who Ware says “knocked us out.” Whereas they hadn’t met her earlier than, Woods had been a part of a youth drama group and had finished a TV collection referred to as “Malory Towers.” Says Ware, “She was so good at being so critical in scenes and seeming grown-up but in addition being only a child.” He provides that they had been capable of pair her with Skarsgård early on they usually immediately labored completely collectively. “She wasn’t in any respect intimated, she might simply communicate to him like she does within the present — as a peer.”

Finding Expertise

Gold says they’re at all times looking out for brand spanking new faces and spend plenty of time at drama colleges “the place you see new individuals and discover individuals you by no means knew.” Ware provides that he sees plenty of comedy reveals, reside and on display. “I attempt to watch every part, even the actually low-budget British stuff, little comedy issues on the BBC the place individuals do their first work.” He provides that the yearly Edinburgh Fringe Pageant in Scotland is a good showcase for rising expertise.

Requested concerning the everlasting query actors have of what casting administrators are searching for, Gold and Ware are easy and inspiring. “There’s an enormous quantity of goodwill within the room,” says Ware. “There’s a motive that they’re there. We wish that individual to succeed, we would like them to stroll in and simply blow us away and get the half after which we will all go dwelling early.” Provides Gold, “If they appear good, we glance good.”

In fact, they advocate being ready, but in addition staying versatile. “Be open to attempting new issues and pushing it round,” says Gold. And don’t consider an audition as simply going out for one function — the casting administrators will keep in mind you down the road. “Each time we’re approaching a brand new half, we’re at all times eager about actors that we’ve seen just lately or had audition,” says Ware. “We’re at all times referring again to lists and audition tapes. So even when an actor has auditioned a number of occasions and never received the half, we’re going to search out the proper factor for them.”