Dan Gilroy on Crafting Cassian Andor’s Journey and the Making of Star Wars’ Rebel Hero

Cassian Andor is one of the most compelling characters in the Star Wars galaxy. First introduced in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Andor (Diego Luna) is a former thief who becomes a central figure in the Rebellion against the Galactic Empire — a reluctant hero whose journey from self-doubt to self-sacrifice adds gravitas to the saga’s epic mythology. The Disney+ series Andor explores his early years, revealing how he evolved from an outsider to a leader, and offers a look at the birth of the Rebellion.

Dan Gilroy wrote three episodes in both seasons of Andor – Season 2 begins one year after the finale of Season 1. His brother Tony Gilroy serves as the creator/ showrunner of Andor, and third brother John edited the series.

Creative Screenwriting Magazine sat down with Dan to discuss the creative process behind the series, the challenges of building out Cassian’s arc, and what it’s like to collaborate with his brothers on one of the most ambitious projects in Star Wars canon.

You’re in a unique situation: the Gilroy brothers working on the same story. Tell us about that working relationship and how you collaborate on building out Andor. 

We’ve collaborated on several films over the years, and that foundation really shapes how we work together on something as huge as Andor. Tony’s first film as a director was Michael Clayton — John was the editor, and Tony was the producer.

We’ve all worn different hats and built up a lot of trust and mutual respect. Tony and I co-wrote on The Bourne Legacy, which was a great experience. We have a way of collaborating that’s very supportive, open to ideas, and non-confrontational.

Dan Gilroy

When Tony came up with the concept for Andor, he brought it to John and me before taking it to Lucasfilm. He wanted to build a team he could trust, and that included asking me to co-write and John to edit. The three of us have a shorthand now. Sure, there are arguments — creative ones — but we’ve learned how to keep them productive and not personal.

At the end of the day, Tony is the creator and showrunner, so he has the final say. It’s not quite a democracy, but we’re all pulling in the same direction, focused on making the best show possible.

Let’s talk about Andor’s place in Star Wars. The universe is known for its sprawling mythology and a passionate fan base. How did you approach creating a prequel to Rogue One that also stands on its own, appeals to both longtime Star Wars fans and newer viewers? 

Coming into a Star Wars project as a continuation or prequel is a double-edged sword. The good news is, you’re not building a series from scratch — there’s a foundation of characters, aesthetics, and themes that you know will resonate. You have this vast mythology to draw from, which is a gift.

But there’s also immense pressure — not just to deliver quality, but to respect the canon and honor what came before. The fan base is deeply invested in the universe, and you’re working on what really feels like sacred ground. That awareness is always present. We constantly asked ourselves: Are we being true to what makes Star Wars special? Are we adding something meaningful?

Tony’s big leap was to shift the focus from the spectacle of Star Wars to something much more grounded — the granular reality of living in this world, especially as oppression starts to set in. We wanted to show what it feels like to be an ordinary person under the Empire, not just the big heroes or villains. Disney and Lucasfilm embraced that radical idea, which was exciting. Fans who fell in love with the show really appreciated that new perspective. After 40 years, it was refreshing for people to see Star Wars from the ground level, to get inside the day-to-day struggles and quiet heroism that aren’t always in the spotlight.

Andor’s been described as a fantasy spy/ political thriller. Do you see it fitting into one particular genre? 

It’s definitely a character-driven piece. At its core, it’s about Cassian Andor, a man who starts off as a thief and, through a series of unpredictable, sometimes force-driven, and sometimes very human events, becomes a key player in the rebellion. That journey is what grounds the show, regardless of the genre trappings.

As writers, we always try to anchor the story in character — what motivates Cassian, what he’s afraid of, what he discovers about himself. Tony worked on the Bourne films, which are spy thrillers, but really succeed because of the strength of Jason Bourne’s character and the mystery surrounding him. Once we mapped out Cassian’s arc, it was easy to place him in these iconic Star Wars moments and ask: What would this man do? How would he respond? That made things feel natural and organic, not forced.

That duality is what makes the show so exciting. On one hand, it’s a vital piece of the Star Wars canon, connecting dots and exploring history. On the other, it stands alone as the intimate story of a man deciding who he wants to be. The show overlaps genres: it’s dramatic, full of action, deeply political, and always centered on character. Balancing all those aspects — genre expectations, character arcs, and Star Wars lore — has been one of the show’s greatest challenges and rewards.

Supervisor Dedra Meero (Denise Gough) Photo courtesy of Lucasfilm.

You wrote on both seasons of Andor. How do you keep the core essence of the character alive over time — what’s the “immutable Bible” for Cassian, and how do you ensure his growth feels authentic? What story rules or guidelines do you set so that, five or ten years later, Cassian still feels like the same person at his core, even as the world around him changes?

You start with Rogue One as your endpoint. That’s crucial, because you know the ultimate sacrifice Cassian is going to make. So our job is to reverse-engineer: if we’re starting five years earlier, what’s the most interesting and meaningful place to begin his journey?

Tony decided Cassian should start as a thief, someone who’s completely on the outside. Then, in the writers’ room, we meticulously broke down each phase of his journey. In the first year, he’s a skeptic, not interested in the rebellion at all. The second year, he’s involved, but not fully committed — the stakes haven’t become personal enough. By the third year, we introduce a love interest that complicates everything. Season 2 covers four years, with each year compressed into a three-episode arc. For each block, we had to be crystal clear about where Cassian was emotionally and philosophically. That roadmap — the “Bible” — is essential. It lets us push him and challenge him, but always in ways that feel honest for who he is. We’re constantly asking: Does this choice feel true to Cassian? Would the Cassian we’ve built make this decision, or are we drifting for plot convenience?

It’s crucial in a show or film to understand your character’s arc — or, in some cases, their lack of one. For example, in Nightcrawler, the main character has no arc, but we still had to know exactly where he stood at every moment. On Andor, we take that approach to heart. If you don’t know where your character is — mentally, emotionally — you risk losing the thread of the larger story. The audience is always tracking the big picture, even if we’re obsessed with each scene. That’s why Tony and I work from incredibly detailed outlines. We’ll start with a 100-page outline, and by the time the writers’ room is done, it might balloon to 300 pages. Every scene, every turning point, is mapped out. It’s a tremendous amount of grinding work, but it’s all about making the best, most honest choices for the characters and the story. You need that foundation if you want the show to resonate.

Vel Sartha (Faye Marsay) and Mon Mothma (Genevieve O’Reilly) Photo courtesy of Lucasfilm.

Let’s talk about the structure of Season 2. You start with Andor in Episode one and follow a clear path to the finale, but with room for exploration along the way. How do you balance the need for a strong narrative spine with the freedom to explore side stories and let supporting characters breathe?

Cassian’s journey — from an uncommitted thief to someone deeply embedded in the rebellion — is the spine of the season, but we wanted to give equal weight to the journeys of the supporting characters. Mon Mothma (Genevieve O’Reilly), Dedra Meero (Denise Gough), Syril Karn (Kyle Soller), Luthen Rael (Stellan Skarsgård) — they’re all grappling with their positions as the stakes rise.

Syril, for example, pretends to be part of the resistance, but is actually an agent for the Empire. When he realizes he’s complicit in atrocity, his journey screeches to a halt — he’s forced to reevaluate everything. Dedra, in her own way, becomes trapped by the very uniform she wears; Luthen is constantly measuring the costs of his choices. Each character mirrors Cassian’s arc in some way: where do I stand, and what am I willing to risk for my beliefs? That’s the beating heart of the show. In the end, it’s a story of reluctant heroes — on both sides — facing impossible choices and discovering what truly matters to them.

Supervisor Dedra Meero (Denise Gough) and Grymish (Kurt Egyiawan). Photo courtesy of Lucasfilm

What do you think makes Star Wars and similar mythic stories so enduring? Why do audiences across generations and cultures see themselves in these characters, and what do you think draws people back to these universes again and again?

The stories that endure — Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, Game of Thrones — aren’t just science fiction or fantasy. They’re grounded in mythic storytelling, the kind of archetypal narratives that go back to our earliest days as a species. These are stories that would’ve been told around a campfire, with characters facing impossible odds, wrestling with destiny, family, sacrifice, and hope. Star Wars uses those classic mythic relationships — Darth Vader as Luke’s father, the reluctant hero, the call to adventure. George Lucas understood that structure intuitively, long before there were books on the “hero’s journey” or screenwriting formulae. That’s what gives these stories their staying power — they tap into something ancient and universal. As writers, we try to honor that tradition, while finding new ways to make it resonate today.

At their heart, these stories are always about sacrifice, destiny, and the idea that ordinary people can make a difference. The reluctant hero — someone who doesn’t seek greatness but is called to it — is timeless. That’s why studios keep coming back to these stories. They resonate with viewers young and old because we all want to believe that our choices matter, that we’re part of something bigger. When you see yourself in these characters, you feel empowered. That’s a powerful thing, and it never gets old.

If you had to pitch Star Wars as a brand-new story today — like it never existed — how would you modernize it? Who would be today’s equivalent of Andor or the Galactic Empire? 

Honestly, I’d describe it almost exactly as it is: epic, timeless storytelling with universal themes. I wouldn’t try to force it to be modern, because those core elements — the reluctant hero, the struggle between good and evil, ordinary people rising to the occasion — are as relevant now as they were decades ago, or even in ancient times. If you look at classic stories, even the biblical ones, you see the same pattern: people who don’t think they’re special end up playing world-changing roles. That’s what resonates. Ordinary people can do extraordinary things. That message is more important now than ever.

If you’re really looking to update it, maybe Cassian would resemble one of the kids from Succession — damaged, privileged, seemingly incapable, and yet possessing hidden strengths. Audiences love seeing unlikely characters become heroes, even if they start out deeply flawed. It’s the classic Harry Potter fantasy: maybe I’m not who everyone thinks I am, maybe there’s something more to my story, and if I’m given the right circumstances, I could become something extraordinary. That fantasy never gets old. It speaks to something universal — the hope that we all have hidden potential, waiting for the right moment to emerge.

by Staff Writer

From our in-house editorial team.