Speaking exclusively to Screen Rant, Andor showrunner Tony Gilroy was asked about the recast of Bail Organa. In the show, regular Bail actor Jimmy Smitts was replaced by Benjamin Bratt, with Gilroy explaining why exactly this change was made. Gilroy stated:
“It’s really hard to bring legacy characters back for a whole variety of reasons. Money and scheduling and I mean, he [Jimmy Smitts] just wasn’t available. It didn’t work out. He was doing his other show and we were under the gun and they couldn’t work it out… They just couldn’t work it out. Believe me, we really tried, but it couldn’t happen.”
The absence of Smitts will undoubtedly be the biggest question asked by Andor viewers after seeing Benjamin Bratt in the role. For those viewers, it will naturally be a comfort that Gilroy and his crew at least tried to get the actor to return. When concerning Bratt’s performance, though, Gilroy had this to say: “It was wonderful to have Benjamin to work with. He’s such a beautiful actor, got this stature and this kind of gravitas…” Gilroy goes on to mention how keen Bratt was to portray a character as iconic as Bail Organa, solidifying him as a solid choice to replace Smitts in Andor season 2.
Star Wars Chose A Recast Instead Of CGI Deepfakes
A Tangible Actor Was Chosen Instead
What makes Andor season 2’s cast more interesting, especially where Bail Organa is concerned, is that it does not contain any CGI deepfake characters. Under Disney’s leadership, this kind of technology has become more and more common in a galaxy far, far away. Even Gilroy himself has some experience with this after Rogue One: A Star Wars Story as one of the film’s writers and the director of several reshoots. This film included CGI recreations of the late Peter Cushing and Carrie Fisher as iconic Star Wars characters Wilhuff Tarkin and Leia Organa, respectively.
RelatedRogue One’s Tony Gilroy reveals the technology that recreated Peter Cushing’s Grand Moff Tarkin in Rogue One wasn’t as revolutionary as we thought..
This continued in The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett. These Star Wars TV shows included the character of Luke Skywalker in the New Republic era, leading to similar technology being used as a means of de-aging Mark Hamill. This has led to endless debates about whether Star Wars should lean more towards recasting major characters as opposed to recreating them with visual effects, something that Andor season 2 is apparently taking on board with its recasting of Bail Organa.
Our Take On Star Wars’ Recast
Benjamin Bratt Does A Fine Job Bringing Bail To Life
With Andor‘s Bail role placing the show firmly on the side of recasting rather than CGI recreations, it is worth noting that I think it made the right choice. Benjamin Bratt does well in his role as Bail Organa, bringing the right amount of warmth, humor, and subtle rebellion that the character is known for to the role. Although Bratt does not have a huge part to play in Andor season 2, Bail’s inclusion in the story was vital, and the recast proves that even some of Star Wars‘ most recognizable characters can be just as compelling with other actors in the role.
Release Date
Episode Drop
April 29, 2025
Andor season 2, episodes 4-6
May 6, 2025
Andor season 2, episodes 7-9
May 13, 2025
Andor season 2, episodes 10-12
