EXCLUSIVE: Andor will be forced to temporarily pause its Season 2 shoot as it becomes the latest major victim of the SAG-AFTRA strike.
Disney+’s critically-acclaimed Star Wars series is just weeks away from wrapping in the UK, but looks set to fall short of the finish line as a result of the actors strike, which is wrapping its first week. A rep for series producer Lucasfilm declined to comment.
Amid speculation in the UK that the series has shut down, Deadline understands that Andor remains in production at Pinewood Studios without its SAG-AFTRA cast members and will continue shooting for as long as it can with actors who fall under agreements with Equity, the British acting union.
Equity performers have been told that they risk being sued for breach of contract if they walk off set in solidarity with American colleagues.
It is not clear when Andor will be able to complete the remainder of its shoot with the actors who are currently striking. There is currently no end in sight for the SAG-AFTRA — as well as the Writers Guild of America — walkouts.
Andor creator Tony Gilroy, who is also on strike as a WGA member, has spoken out in support of the industrial action, telling Deadline last week that studios were being “recklessly careless” with the industry.
He added: “I think SAG and the Writers Guild are trying to preserve our industry. In such a strange way, we’ve become the creators and the interpreters, the creative community are becoming the protectors of this industry, this huge industry that people love.”
Diego Luna and Stellan Skarsgård are among the Andor Season 2 cast. The show was planned out as a two-season adventure with the second season leading up to the events in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story where audiences were first introduced to Luna’s Cassian Andor character.