"Didn't shoot in order": Diego Luna and Alan Tudyk share BTS details from Andor Season 2; talk about Cassian's facial hair

Unlike most franchise shows that play it safe with traditional arcs, Andor Season 2 is shooting for something more ambitious: a four-year origin story of a man becoming a rebel hero, presented in twelve episodes and four separate arcs. This is one of the reasons the show is so remarkable within the Star Wars universe—and such a daunting challenge to shoot.

Diego Luna, who plays the titular Cassian Andor, has spoken openly about just how complex and disorienting the process was. In a recent interview with Collider, the interviewer asked him how he decided how much facial hair Cassian would have in each year gap. To this he replied,

"We made a plan and then the plan was ruined. And then we were, yes, we made a plan, but it was, it was a weird schedule, you know, because we didn't shoot in order."

He continued,

"Sometimes blocks will kind of like happen at the same time or kind of like had to interact. So I spent a few days sticking hair because I made the wrong choice. You know, like, shit, now I need to have my facial hair."

The season was shot out of order, and Cassian's internal evolution had to be charted without the usual narrative breadcrumbs like time jumps or title cards. In other words, no hand-holding, just visual storytelling—and one very telling beard.

Here's the interview for your reference:

Cassian's beard in Andor: The rebel's unofficial timekeeper

One of the most fascinating (and amusing) continuity aids proved to be Cassian's beard. In a series that avoids on-screen time markers by design, facial hair became a discreet means of signaling the passing of time and emotional development. Every phase of Cassian's journey is echoed, in part, by the appearance of a beard or lack of it.

Diego Luna added that keeping beard continuity was a full-time job. Because scenes were filmed out of sequence, he sometimes had to apply glued-on patches of facial hair to recreate an earlier look exactly. Luna quipped,

"And they would be like, very, very, very cool guy, you know, very cool technique, which is you put glue, you put real hair, then you cut it and you act with someone else's hair in your face, basically."

The beard as a narrative tool in Andor

This wasn't merely about visual realism. Cassian's bearded transformation is nearly a separate character—an understated, transforming indicator of his psychological condition. Shaven Cassian is continuing to flee his past. Patchy Cassian is far along in the battle. And completely bearded Cassian? That's the fellow who's lost too much to ever go back.

The structure of Andor season 2: Four arcs, four years

Season 2 of Andor is divided into four story arcs, each one spanning a different year in the build-up to Rogue One. Each arc consists of three episodes and provides the audience with a focused dose of story at each major point in Cassian's narrative.

Luna also talked about how this show was different from the rest by stating,

"No, but jokes aside, it's a beautiful reminder of what this whole thing is about. And it's about a point of view, being honest and consistent with what you want to do."

He continued,

"I think one thing that makes this show different from what's happening in this long format TV that we're doing is that we had an ending."

Though the story progresses chronologically when watched, filming it required actors and crew to jump back and forth between different years, sometimes within the same week. That kind of production demands a rock-solid understanding of where each character is in their arc at any given time.

Emotional mapping: Luna's acting challenge in Andor

For Diego Luna, playing in Andor Season 2 was not a matter of memorizing lines or executing stunts—it was a matter of emotional navigation. Picture having to become a calm, introspective Cassian in the morning and then becoming a shattered, desperate one in the afternoon. That was Luna's life. When the interviewer asked Luna about what he took away as he read the storylines, Luna replied,

"When I read season two, I just remember that that was exactly what he pitched me at the beginning. He was consistent with that. And it was just richer, obviously, because of all the the new storylines and the stuff we found on the way."

Luna also considered how Andor had such a strong creative underpinning right from the start. He pointed out that the essential idea—the emotional journey of Cassian Andor, the tone of the show, and the political resonance—had continuity throughout, even through a prolonged and convoluted second season. He mentioned,

"The core of the thing was the exact same, you know, and which in this long format is something you don't see often. You know, people start pitching things and then they go out to find out what they can do. This was consistent. I was also impressed on how he managed to deliver for each character."

K-2SO returns in Andor: What we know about Alan Tudyk's role

Following an absence for the first season, Alan Tudyk returns as K-2SO in Season 2. The popular droid, famous for his wit and devotion to Cassian, will finally be back in the show. Although the details of this return have not been made official, it's safe to bet that his comeback will coincide with one of the later story arcs—most likely in Year 3 or Year 4.

Tudyk spoke,

"We're going to see it. K2SO, I'm looking forward to people seeing K2SO before he becomes K2SO, also see him born, but also who he was before he was born, before he's born again."

Crew coordination: The unsung heroes of production

It wasn't only actors who had to juggle timelines. The continuity department, comprising assistant directors, script supervisors, and designers, had to keep fastidious track of every item on camera. This included tracking:

Beard lengths

Blood splatters

Filth levels on costumes

The condition of the major props

Environmental continuity (rain, daylight, battle wear, etc.)

These units tended to use color-coded boards, reference images, and breakdowns by scene to ensure that each frame aligned with the right moment in the narrative.

The final arc in Andor: bridging Andor to Rogue One

Season 2 is not merely a continuation—it's a setup to a story we already know has a sacrificial ending. From official reports and cast interviews, the endgame of Andor Season 2 takes us directly into the beginning of Rogue One. The last episodes aren't merely tension-builders—they're about finishing Cassian's metamorphosis into the man who's willing to sacrifice himself for a cause.

The tonal pivot, the urgency, and the moral gravity of Cassian's choices will all be expressed in those closing seconds. Luna was insinuating that it's not only a handoff—it's a payoff. All those beards taped on and all those scenes shot out of continuity have been setting this up.

What makes Andor Season 2 exceptional isn’t just its writing or performances—it’s the invisible labor behind the scenes. From Diego Luna’s beard glue adventures to time-hopping performances, the season is a masterclass in narrative precision amid logistical chaos.