Diego Luna’s Hollywood Experience Reflects Star Wars Sequel Trilogy Issue

by

Diego Luna, the star of Andor, recently discussed his career before joining Star Wars, and his comments unexpectedly revealed something important about a key character in the sequel trilogy. Luna’s journey with Star Wars began with Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and concluded with the second season of Andor earlier this year, marking a significant period in his career.

Both Rogue One and Andor stand out in the Star Wars universe. Rogue One is one of only two major Star Wars films that doesn’t follow the Skywalker family, and it’s often ranked among the best Star Wars movies. Similarly, Andor is frequently considered one of the best, and possibly the best, Star Wars TV shows.

Luna played a key role in several recent Star Wars projects, but Star Wars also greatly impacted her career. Diego Luna recently discussed his Hollywood experiences both before and after joining the Star Wars universe, and his comments highlight a problem with the sequel films.

Andor Star Diego Luna Used To Be Typecast Before Rogue One

In a recent discussion with The Hollywood Reporter, Diego Luna talked about how, before landing the role of Cassian Andor, he often found himself being offered roles as a drug dealer or other criminal types. He explained this was likely due to being a Latino actor and the types of roles often available to people of color in Hollywood.

You know, it’s fascinating to hear Stellan Skarsgård talk about his career before Andor. He said for a long time, he was almost always offered roles as… well, a drug dealer! He’d sometimes get the ‘nicer’ version, but still, that was pretty much it. It really highlights how typecast he was. I remember him in Contraband back in 2012 – he played Gonzalo, and even then, he was definitely playing a character involved in some shady dealings. It’s amazing to see how Andor allowed him to break out of that mold.

I was so relieved that Rogue One and Andor didn’t fall into the same trap, but honestly, what Diego Luna said really hit home. It made me realize Star Wars pretty much did the exact same thing to an actor in the sequel trilogy – and it happened years after Rogue One even came out! It’s just a bit disappointing to see that pattern repeat itself.

Star Wars Sadly Failed Poe Dameron In The Rise Of Skywalker

While Cassian Andor helped Diego Luna avoid being typecast, Oscar Isaac’s character, Poe Dameron, experienced the opposite in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. The film unexpectedly revealed Poe had a history as a spice runner, a backstory that felt out of the blue.

In the world of Star Wars, spice functions like an illegal drug, which means Poe Dameron has a past as a drug runner. This storyline felt out of place and confusing, especially considering one of the main problems with the sequel trilogy was how drastically The Rise of Skywalker changed course, leaving the three films feeling disconnected.

Okay, let’s talk about The Rise of Skywalker. While Palpatine’s return was hugely divisive, honestly, the sudden reveal that Poe Dameron had a past as a spice runner felt just as jarring and out of nowhere. From a narrative standpoint, it didn’t make a lot of sense. I get they were trying to tie him to Zorii Bliss, but that connection felt shoehorned in late in the game, too. It just didn’t feel earned, and ultimately detracted from the overall story.

Diego Luna Made History In Andor

Many fans were let down by how the story of Poe Dameron changed in The Rise of Skywalker, but Andor avoided repeating that mistake. In fact, Diego Luna’s performance as Cassian Andor has been hailed as groundbreaking, and the show is widely considered to be the best Star Wars television series ever made.

Both the show Andor and the character Cassian have significantly impacted the Star Wars franchise, demonstrating a need for higher quality storytelling. Andor felt fresh and innovative because of its emotional resonance and realistic portrayal, giving Diego Luna the opportunity to deliver a complex and compelling performance.

Read More

2025-12-07 06:30