20 years after her cut Revenge of the Sith scenes, Mon Mothma star says Andor season 2 was the story she'd "always hoped for"

Andor season 2 holds a special place in Mon Mothma actor Genevieve O'Reilly's heart, 20 years after she was first cast as the character.

Originally due to play the rebel leader in Revenge of the Sith before her scenes were cut, O'Reilly has played the character across the big screen in films like Rogue One and the small screen voicing her in the animated shows.

Yet, as she tells GamesRadar+, "I think Andor is the story that I always hoped for Mon Mothma. I always hoped that she could have this moment for the character, for her, for who this woman is within that universe. And I feel very privileged that I got the opportunity to play it [and] to play her in this moment."

The second season of the hit Star Wars prequel picks up a year on from the events of season 1. For Mothma, it all begins with a wedding – as has been teased in the trailers – before charting her story across the next four years in the lead up to the events of Rogue One.

If you're familiar with your Star Wars chronology, you'll know that this is a particularly turbulent period for her character – and one we've actually seen on screen before. In Star Wars: Rebels, Mothma's powerful journey into the rebellion is a major plot point during this period.

O'Reilly says it's not handled in the exact same way, but she was so grateful to cover this period and how creator Tony Gilroy handled it. "Tony carved out a space and recreated [it] still respecting the lore and and the canon and what has lived before, and yet he carved out a space within our story to allow her to use her voice – and that was everything to me."

Andor season 2 begins on Disney Plus on April 22 in the US and April 23 in the UK with a three-episode premiere. Check out our Andor season 2 release schedule to make sure you don't miss a moment, as well as our guide to all the upcoming Star Wars movies and shows you need to know about.