Speaking to TechRadar before Andor season 2Disney+ bow, O’Reilly, who plays Mon Mothma in the highly-rated show, beamed as she spoke about shooting the series’ wild wedding dance number, whose significance wasn’t lost on O’Reilly for two major reasons.
The party-style event, which closes out a three-day wedding extravaganza that takes place across this season’s first three episodes, sees Mon Mothma completely let loose after being trapped in a high-pressure situation on her home world of Chandrila.
Indeed, not only has her daughter tied the knot with the son of shady businessman Davo Sculdun – via an arranged marriage to keep the peace, no less – but Mon has also had to deal with numerous other issues.
That includes Luthen Rael’s unexpected attendance, revelations about her siphoning off funds to, well, fund the nascent Rebel Alliance, and the off-screen death of her long-time friend Tay, who’s whisked away from the wedding by Cinta Kaz, one of Luthen’s most devote acolytes, in episode 3’s final moments to be disposed of.
To say Mon Mothma is put through the emotional and psychological wringer in season 2’s opening chapter, then, is an understatement. With the weight of the issues becoming too great to handle, it’s perhaps unsurprising that she gives in to her inhibitions, downs multiple shots, and throws herself into the middle of the wedding’s dance floor.
Freeing as it was to liberate a “character who’s [usually] so rigid”, though, O’Reilly says that reason wasn’t the only one that made episode 3’s dance number feel like “a huge celebration” individually as well as collectively with the crew and cast of Andor season 2 .
Indeed, with the multi-day shoot taking place after the months-long 2023 Hollywood strikes finally came to an end, there was an unmistakable party atmosphere on the set for many of those involved in the TV series’ development.
When I asked O’Reilly if the dance sequence was choreographed or if everyone had the autonomy to do their own thing, she replied: “Well, first of all, we went on a hike together in Montserrat, which was physical in its own way! After that, we’re all at this wedding, which is very complicated wedding for not only Mon, but Vel [Sartha, played by Faye Marsay] as well.
“It was extraordinary for Tony [Gilroy, Andor ‘s showrunner] to delve into that, because then you really understand how brave these women actually are,” O’Reilly continued.
“But, to set those first three episodes within that family culture, with all of the complications for Mon with her daughter and the brutality of that [decision to wed her off to Davo’s son], and then having Luther – who’s so wily and crafty – and an Imperial presence there, you feel the exterior pressure on Mon, the interior family turmoil, and the dangers associated with being part of the rebellion and having the empire on top of them.
It felt like this huge celebration
Genevieve O’Reilly, Andor season 2 actor
“That upends everything and eventually sees Mon tacitly agree to something that results in her kind of having blood on her hands with what happens to Tay. So, the opportunity to have her drink and enter full-release mode by throwing herself into that dance, which is the only way to deal with the chaos in her head, was so brilliant as an actor, particularly for this character who’s so rigid.
“It was one of my favorite days ever on any set and, because it was filmed after the strikes, it felt like this huge celebration, not just for everyone who worked on the show, but for everything we’ve tried to achieve with Andor .”
For more coverage of one of the best Disney+ shows ‘ second season, read my spoiler-free review of Andor season 2 . Alternatively, read more from my exclusive chats with the cast of one of 2025’s new Star Wars TV shows in the section below.
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