Adria Arjona discusses her ‘Andor' farewell: ‘There's so much hope in that scene'
Adria Arjona remembers how she found out that she would be in the final shot of Andor with a baby in tow. Show creator Tony Gilroy broke the news to her almost casually, considering how meticulously detailed and thought-out Andor always seems.
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'He told me in passing, because he's so cool like that,' Arjona says of Gilroy. 'He was like, 'Oh, by the way, kid, the last shot is going to be you.' I was like, 'What? What do you mean? And I'm holding what, a baby? When does Bix get pregnant? Do you see me pregnant? Do you not see me pregnant?' And he was like, 'Relax, kid. Let me write it and I'll send it to you.' So I knew that that was going to happen.'
That last scene is Arjona's singular appearance as Bix Caleen in the final three episodes of Andor. When Bix broke up with her hero, Cassian Andor (Diego Luna), via a 'Dear John' video message at the end of Episode 9, it seemed like that was the last viewers would see of her (especially considering the character is not part of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story). Arjona did everything she could to make that breakup message feel emotional and final.
'We filmed it practically, like she would've filmed it,' Arjona tells Gold Derby. 'So I was alone, and Cassian was sleeping, and I would walk from the bedroom and go by the table and start recording, and the first four [takes] were not usable at all.'
Arjona continues, 'I'm spilling all my tea, but they weren't usable because I was so emotional. It was the first time in my career that I allowed my emotions to get involved; I am hired because I can control my emotions, you know what I mean? But I couldn't control it. It meant so much to me and I respect and love Rogue One so much that propelling one of your favorite characters into a movie that you love so dearly was something that I couldn't get over until finally I shed that and Bix took over, and it's the scene that you see.'
While the breakup message was a hard goodbye, Bix's final scene carries the promise that all the sacrifices will be worth it for the future, a long-running theme of Star Wars.
'I think there's so much hope in that scene,' Arjona says. 'There's something really beautiful that Bix always says throughout this entire season, 'He's going to come back.' She has no doubt in Cassian, and when you don't have any doubt in someone, you inflict so much confidence. That's sort of what Tony Gilroy has been for me in my life. He's never doubted me. He's only inflicted confidence in me, and that's what Bix is for Cassian.'
Arjona admits it's bittersweet to say goodbye to Andor after working on it for years, but she hopes to remember everything she learned on the most acclaimed Star Wars show.
'It's going to be tough to top this one,' Arjona says. 'It's been such a beautiful creative team. I got to work with some of the best of the best, from hair and makeup to costumes to production design to directors, writers, and actors. I've learned so much in this show. I mean, it's really been one of my greatest schools. Anywhere I looked, there was a lesson there for me, and I really grew up in this show in many ways over six years. Where I was in my career to where I am now, it's a lot of thanks to the show and to Tony and to Diego who really supported me and believed in me. It is sad to realize that our last episode is coming out. You're just like, 'Oh man, this is it. We gave it our all, and it's all out there.''
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