Latest news with #TonyGilroy
Yahoo
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Tony Gilroy on the 'spooky' real-life parallels with Emmy nominee 'Andor'
'Andor' has been the "seminal creative experience" of Tony Gilroy's life. The filmmaker spent over five years steeped in the world of the 'Star Wars' prequel series, which follows resistance fighter Cassian Andor (portrayed by Diego Luna) during the nascent days of the Rebellion. On Tuesday, 'Andor' earned 14 Emmy nominations for its second and final season, including in the marquee race for drama series. 'It's hard to imagine that I'll ever be as deeply invested with as much and so submerged with so many people in such a huge endeavor,' Gilroy said via Zoom after the nominations announcement. 'It's a life experience as much as anything else. Everybody on this show really came away with a deeper sense of community and affection than they went in with.' Read more: Emmy nominations 2025: List of nominees In addition to drama series, 'Andor' was nominated for its directing, writing, cinematography, production design, costume, editing, score, original music, sound editing, sound mixing and special effects. Performances by Forest Whitaker (guest actor) and Alan Tudyk (character voice-over) were also recognized. A grounded, political spy thriller, 'Andor' is set during the five years leading up to the events of 'Rogue One: A Star Wars story,' the 2016 film on which Gilroy is credited as one of the writers. The series has been hailed by critics and audiences since its 2022 debut, captivating both longtime 'Star Wars' fans as well as those who don't know an Ewok from a Wookiee. The show's second season, which unfolds over the span of four years, provided key glimpses into the Galactic Empire's operations as well as the origins of the Rebel Alliance. And while the show is inspired by revolutions past, Gilroy admits it has been 'spooky' to see current events parallel moments from the show. In an interview with The Times, Gilroy discussed 'Andor's' nominations, real-life parallels and more. The conversation edited for length and clarity. Congratulations on the 14 nominations! How are you feeling? I'm trying to find a word that everybody you're calling doesn't use. I feel affirmed. It's very exciting, obviously. Where were you and what were you doing when you heard the news? I waited and I took a ride and took a shower and got out and saw my phone was hot. I waited to see if my phone was hot. Is there an 'Andor' group chat where you all can chat in a thread together? No. Well, maybe there is and I'm not on it. It's more text mania. Then you have to figure out who's on WhatsApp, who's on this, who's on that. Everybody's on different s—. It's actually really f— complicated, to be honest. Now I've got emails to answer, WhatsApps to answer. Read more: 'Star Wars' has always been a family saga. For 'Andor,' Tony Gilroy tapped his brothers What has it been like for you to be on this ride with this show as real-life events start to parallel what happened on the show? It feels like we're living through so much of it now. It's been spooky. We had to do a very interesting thing, I think, and figure out how to sell the show while this was all happening without us getting confused, or the world getting confused, or anything else. So I'm really proud. We went all around the world and really sold it really hard. It's hard to get a large audience to watch 'Star Wars' — it's strange, but it's really difficult. Along the way I think we managed through the relevancy and the politics of it as successfully as we could. I think now things are a little bit looser. We're a little bit more free with how we want to speak now so that's a little bit liberating. How hard is it to hold some of that in while you're trying to appeal to an audience? There wasn't anything really cynical about it. Everything we said was legit. The historical model is truly what we were doing, and we're not espousing an ideology in the show or anything like that. But we were also quite taken aback as things went along, at the amount of things that started rhyming with what was going on. Watching Sen. [Alex] Padilla get [handcuffed] while we're watching the Ghorman senate — there's things we did not expect to see lining up. It's really tough and it should be obvious what people think about it. One of the show's nominations was writing for Episode 9. Dan Gilroy, nominated! How does it feel to be able to share this moment with your brother? All three Gilroy brothers were nominated today! It's very pleasing to see that. There's so many things on here that really, really, really, make me smile. It's really great that [production designer] Luke [Hull] and [costume designer] Michael Wilkinson [were nominated]. All the technical things that came in for us today were really satisfying. All these awards are community property no matter how people talk about it. You know how many people it takes to stand behind every one of these episodes. They're just epic, the amount of people that are involved. As you're picking these individual episodes, how did Episode 9 stand out? What made it special for you? We were really torn about what to [submit]. We had three candidates that we really were really interested in. In the end, people felt — direction-wise — that the Ghorman massacre, Episode 8, was such a powerhouse. It's such a strong flavor and so memorable that we could not have that beat for direction. And we also felt that [Episode] 9, it's just so sophisticated. The spy writing and the sleekness of the politics and the sleekness of the storytelling in there and the scale of the issues for the characters that came up. That was always the favorite for script. Read more: Genevieve O'Reilly on Mon Mothma's pivotal 'Andor' speech: 'Her only weapon is her voice' Since you mention Ghorman, what was memorable about working on that episode for you? It's always an experiment to see if you're going to get the power out of things that you think you're going to get. [So,] to watch that expand beyond where we thought it was going to be, and to have it affect us, the people making it, more than we expected. To have the extras walk off the set on the final day of shooting, when they were finally released, all the people in that square after months and they went off singing the Ghorman national anthem on their own on the way out of Pinewood [Studios]. I'm very proud of it. That anthem is also nominated. That's really all I care about, Tracy. I've written a national anthem and it's been nominated for an Emmy. [Laughs.] Your time with 'Star Wars' is pretty much wrapped up. What has it been like for you, being steeped in this world for so long? 'Rogue [One]' aside, just being on this show the last five and a half, six years, this is the seminal creative experience, I'm imagining, of my life. It's hard to imagine that I'll ever be as deeply invested with as much and so submerged with so many people in such a huge endeavor. I can't imagine that will ever happen again. It's a life experience as much as anything else. Everybody on this show really came away with a deeper sense of community and affection than they went in with. To make a great show, and we're really proud of it, and to come away feeling the way that we feel about each other and what everybody did, I'm as proud of that as anything. How are you going to celebrate? I'm going to roll these calls and I'm going to go back to prepping the movie that I'm supposed to start shooting. I've got homework to do. I'm going to try and get an hour or two of work done before I go out for dinner with my wife. But I'll have an extra cherry in my old fashioned tonight. Get exclusive awards season news, in-depth interviews and columnist Glenn Whipp's must-read analysis straight to your inbox. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles Times
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Tony Gilroy on the ‘spooky' real-life parallels with Emmy nominee ‘Andor'
'Andor' has been the 'seminal creative experience' of Tony Gilroy's life. The filmmaker spent over five years steeped in the world of the 'Star Wars' prequel series, which follows resistance fighter Cassian Andor (portrayed by Diego Luna) during the nascent days of the Rebellion. On Tuesday, 'Andor' earned 14 Emmy nominations for its second and final season, including in the marquee race for drama series. 'It's hard to imagine that I'll ever be as deeply invested with as much and so submerged with so many people in such a huge endeavor,' Gilroy said via Zoom after the nominations announcement. 'It's a life experience as much as anything else. Everybody on this show really came away with a deeper sense of community and affection than they went in with.' In addition to drama series, 'Andor' was nominated for its directing, writing, cinematography, production design, costume, editing, score, original music, sound editing, sound mixing and special effects. Performances by Forest Whitaker (guest actor) and Alan Tudyk (character voice-over) were also recognized. A grounded, political spy thriller, 'Andor' is set during the five years leading up to the events of 'Rogue One: A Star Wars story,' the 2016 film on which Gilroy is credited as one of the writers. The series has been hailed by critics and audiences since its 2022 debut, captivating both longtime 'Star Wars' fans as well as those who don't know an Ewok from a Wookiee. The show's second season, which unfolds over the span of four years, provided key glimpses into the Galactic Empire's operations as well as the origins of the Rebel Alliance. And while the show is inspired by revolutions past, Gilroy admits it has been 'spooky' to see current events parallel moments from the show. In an interview with The Times, Gilroy discussed 'Andor's' nominations, real-life parallels and more. The conversation edited for length and clarity. Congratulations on the 14 nominations! How are you feeling? I'm trying to find a word that everybody you're calling doesn't use. I feel affirmed. It's very exciting, obviously. Where were you and what were you doing when you heard the news? I waited and I took a ride and took a shower and got out and saw my phone was hot. I waited to see if my phone was hot. Is there an 'Andor' group chat where you all can chat in a thread together? No. Well, maybe there is and I'm not on it. It's more text mania. Then you have to figure out who's on WhatsApp, who's on this, who's on that. Everybody's on different s—. It's actually really f— complicated, to be honest. Now I've got emails to answer, WhatsApps to answer. What has it been like for you to be on this ride with this show as real-life events start to parallel what happened on the show? It feels like we're living through so much of it now. It's been spooky. We had to do a very interesting thing, I think, and figure out how to sell the show while this was all happening without us getting confused, or the world getting confused, or anything else. So I'm really proud. We went all around the world and really sold it really hard. It's hard to get a large audience to watch 'Star Wars' — it's strange, but it's really difficult. Along the way I think we managed through the relevancy and the politics of it as successfully as we could. I think now things are a little bit looser. We're a little bit more free with how we want to speak now so that's a little bit liberating. How hard is it to hold some of that in while you're trying to appeal to an audience? There wasn't anything really cynical about it. Everything we said was legit. The historical model is truly what we were doing, and we're not espousing an ideology in the show or anything like that. But we were also quite taken aback as things went along, at the amount of things that started rhyming with what was going on. Watching Sen. [Alex] Padilla get [handcuffed] while we're watching the Ghorman senate — there's things we did not expect to see lining up. It's really tough and it should be obvious what people think about it. One of the show's nominations was writing for Episode 9. Dan Gilroy, nominated! How does it feel to be able to share this moment with your brother? All three Gilroy brothers were nominated today! It's very pleasing to see that. There's so many things on here that really, really, really, make me smile. It's really great that [production designer] Luke [Hull] and [costume designer] Michael Wilkinson [were nominated]. All the technical things that came in for us today were really satisfying. All these awards are community property no matter how people talk about it. You know how many people it takes to stand behind every one of these episodes. They're just epic, the amount of people that are involved. As you're picking these individual episodes, how did Episode 9 stand out? What made it special for you? We were really torn about what to [submit]. We had three candidates that we really were really interested in. In the end, people felt — direction wise — that the Ghorman massacre, Episode 8, was such a powerhouse. It's such a strong flavor and so memorable that we could not have that beat for direction. And we also felt that [Episode] 9, it's just so sophisticated. The spy writing and the sleekness of the politics and the sleekness of the storytelling in there and the scale of the issues for the characters that came up. That was always the favorite for script. Since you mention Ghorman, what was memorable about working on that episode for you? It's always an experiment to see if you're going to get the power out of things that you think you're going to get. [So,] to watch that expand beyond where we thought it was going to be, and to have it affect us, the people making it, more than we expected. To have the extras walk off the set on the final day of shooting, when they were finally released, all the people in that square after months and they went off singing the Ghorman national anthem on their own on the way out of Pinewood [Studios]. I'm very proud of it. That anthem is also nominated. That's really all I care about, Tracy. I've written a national anthem and it's been nominated for an Emmy. [Laughs.] Your time with 'Star Wars' is pretty much wrapped up. What has it been like for you, being steeped in this world for so long? 'Rogue [One]' aside, just being on this show the last five and a half, six years, this is the seminal creative experience, I'm imagining, of my life. It's hard to imagine that I'll ever be as deeply invested with as much and so submerged with so many people in such a huge endeavor. I can't imagine that will ever happen again. It's a life experience as much as anything else. Everybody on this show really came away with a deeper sense of community and affection than they went in with. To make a great show, and we're really proud of it, and to come away feeling the way that we feel about each other and what everybody did, I'm as proud of that as anything. How are you going to celebrate? I'm going to roll these calls and I'm going to go back to prepping the movie that I'm supposed to start shooting. I've got homework to do. I'm going to try and get an hour or two of work done before I go out for dinner with my wife. But I'll have an extra cherry in my old fashioned tonight.
Gizmodo
10-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Gizmodo
This VFX Breakdown for ‘Andor' Season 2 Showcases the Power of Practical Locations
Viewing this reel of Scanline VFX's work on Andor season 2's most iconic sets makes us want to watch the show all over again. The digital effects breakdown from the post-production house showcases that VFX and practical effects orchestrated in balance are what made Tony Gilroy's take on the Star Wars universe so cinematic. The reel displays the exceptional work that went into making places like Coruscant, Mina Rau, and Yavin look so richly alive. Through the use of real locations, environments, and scenery, the next-level post-production magic seamlessly disappears into every single frame. There's no obvious LED volume used like on the other Star Wars shows, including The Mandalorian universe, and it shows. Seeing how it's all layered together is that good sort of dopamine process content that is such a joy to watch. Notice how real fields of grain were used with the silos composited in; you can hardly tell. The VFX industry is one that, while mired with rush jobs and artists not being given their due with proper time, really shines when the value is placed on the artists behind the screen. When we get wins like this in such a huge franchise, it shows that's how it should be. The Coruscant hospital was a major part of the breakdown, and how they scaled it up to be a high-rise from a backlot set is absolutely astounding. Time and time again, supporting the entertainment industry's VFX creatives produces the best art over digital environments, bar none. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what's next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.
Yahoo
10-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Jon Stewart Flips on Historian Who Confirms US Might Be on the Brink of Revolution: ‘I Was Trying to Be Delicate!'
Jon Stewart was trying to be 'delicate' when 'History of Rome' and 'Revolutions' podcast host Mike Duncan confirmed the U.S. might be on the brink of another revolution. While talking with Duncan and 'Andor' showrunner Tony Gilroy on Thursday's episode of 'The Weekly Show' podcast, Stewart built up to his big question of how close the United States really was to a second revolution with his guests. Duncan and Gilroy's answers did not alleviate his fears. More from TheWrap Brendan Fraser Dramedy 'Rental Family' Sets November Release at Searchlight 7 Best Horror Movies Streaming on Netflix Right Now Guy Ritchie Drops Out as 'Road House 2' Director Jon Stewart Flips on Historian Who Confirms US Might Be on the Brink of Revolution: 'I Was Trying to Be Delicate!' | Video 'I have a hard time doing this, not looking at the present and gathering up those ingredients – that Tony you put into this brilliant show about a revolutionary and Mike you put into deconstructing – and not look at the ingredients of this moment and not think 'boy we are in a tinder box,'' Stewart said. Duncan interrupted and burst the host's bubble that the U.S. was very much on a brink of a revolution and it was not going to take much more pushing after just six months under Trump. 'A historian of revolution has just told us we're in it,' Stewart exclaimed. 'I was trying to be delicate.' 'Yeah, dude, people are flicking matches at a tinder box right now,' Duncan continued. 'Whether or not it's going to go off, nobody knows but yeah, dude, we're there. We've been there for years.' He continued: 'My point is that if something broke out tomorrow it would be the easiest thing in the world to explain the big major structural forces, and individual incidents, that brought us to this point.' For Gilroy, he pointed to the unfortunately prophetic nature of his Star Wars series and the response it garnered from many who asked him how close he thought the U.S. was to something similar. 'People talk about the predictive quality of the show, and as it started to click out all these things started happening,' he said. 'We had Ghorman and the mineral rights and that happens right when Greenland happens. Then we have the immigration issue and we have ICE, we have the Senator Oran arrested from the Senate at the same time as Padilla is being arrested.' Watch the full conversation between Stewart, Gilroy and Duncan in the video above. The post Jon Stewart Flips on Historian Who Confirms US Might Be on the Brink of Revolution: 'I Was Trying to Be Delicate!' | Video appeared first on TheWrap.
Geek Tyrant
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Tyrant
Alan Tudyk Says the Cut Scenes in ANDOR Season 2 Made the Story Stronger — GeekTyrant
Fans of Rogue One were itching for K-2SO's reunion with Cassian Andor in Lucasfilm's Andor series, especially since the snarky, reprogrammed Imperial droid left such a mark in the film. With Alan Tudyk returning to voice the character, expectations were high for a meaningful arc. But, as it turns out, Andor Season 2 didn't have as much space for K-2SO as many hoped, and according to Tudyk, that's actually okay. Speaking at a panel hosted by Collider during FanExpo Denver, Tudyk explained that even the scenes that didn't make it into the final cut still played a role in shaping the show, and his performance. 'There's a lot of story to tell. You missed a big chunk of us getting to know each other.' He's referring to the developing bond between Cassian and K-2SO, which is essential to the emotional weight of Rogue One . But, given Andor's grounded, espionage-driven tone, bringing in a towering, loud-mouthed droid too early risked breaking that stealthy narrative rhythm. Creator Tony Gilroy had previously admitted as much, noting that K-2SO's presence was a tricky fit for the show's cloak-and-dagger pacing. Still, Tudyk found value in the implied development. The relationship between Cassian and K-2 didn't need to be fully shown to be fully felt. 'A lot of the things I had in my mind about Cassian and K-2 are in that blank space that we don't get to see, and that's how they get to care about one another. That's how we thought about it.' Even without every scene making it to screen, those off-screen moments shaped how Tudyk approached the character emotionally and narratively. It's less about what's missing and more about what's hinted at. The connection is there, it just lives in the quiet moments between the lines.
