Warning: The following contains major spoilers for Andor episode 8! Turn back now if you haven't seen the latest episode on Disney Plus!
Andor’s stint in prison has already included a few familiar faces. There’s one deep cut cameo from a Rogue One character, but also an appearance from another Star Wars actor: Andy Serkis.
Don’t worry, this isn’t the origin story of the Supreme Leader. The Snoke actor makes his live-action bow in a galaxy far, far away as Kino Loy, the de-facto leader of Andor’s prison floor
Speaking to Vanity Fair, Serkis has revealed he was a "bit confused" as to whether to take on the role – but his love for Star Wars: Rogue One won out in the end.
"It's a difficult one because I'm sure [a Snoke origin is] exactly what people will think. And why would they think other?" Serkis said. "I was a bit confused as to whether to do it or not, but it was purely because I love Rogue One. I truly loved the grounding of that film in a world which felt both real and yet still felt epic."
While Andor has kept details of the characters on the prison facility of Narkina Five under wraps, Serkis has invented his own backstory for Kino Loy.
"What I imagined of Kino's backstory, before he was in prison, was that he was a union leader. He's used to working as a foreman. I wanted him to come from a place where he was put in prison for, perhaps, standing up for workers' rights, and then put into a position of authority because that's what he does. He is a natural leader. But he really just wants to serve his time. He's got a family," Serkis said.
Andor continues to stream every Wednesday on Disney Plus. For more on the franchise's future, including a mystery new adventure set after The Rise of Skywalker, be sure to check out our guide to upcoming Star Wars movies and shows.
